NYC Police to Monitor Labor Day Parties with Drones
The NYPD Plans to Use Drones to Monitor Labor Day Parties
The NYPD has announced its intention to utilize drones to monitor Labor Day parties this weekend. In response to complaints about large gatherings, including private events like barbecues, unmanned drones will be dispatched to investigate, according to officials.
“If a caller states there’s a large crowd, a large party in a backyard, we’re going to be utilizing our assets to go up and go check on the party,” said Kaz Daughtry, the assistant NYPD Commissioner, during a press conference.
The announcement was made during a security briefing for J’ouvert, an annual Caribbean festival in Brooklyn that attracts thousands of people. The drones will be deployed for both non-priority and priority calls that are off the parade route, Daughtry explained.
Unsurprisingly, the announcement has drawn criticism from privacy advocates who argue that the use of police drones is illegal. Daniel Schwarz, a privacy and technology strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, told the Associated Press, “It’s a troubling announcement. Deploying drones in this way is a sci-fi inspired scenario.”
Schwarz further pointed out that the NYPD’s plan contradicts the POST Act, a city law from 2020 that requires transparency regarding surveillance methods employed by the police force.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP), also expressed concerns about the use of drones. He stated, “One of the biggest concerns with the rush to roll out new forms of aerial surveillance is how few protections we have against seeing these cameras aimed at our backyards or even our bedrooms. Clearly, flying a drone over a backyard barbecue is a step too far for many New Yorkers.”
According to city data, the NYPD has already used drones on 124 occasions this year, a significant increase from the four times they were used in all of last year.
Mayor Eric Adams, who has previously praised the potential of police drones, dismissed concerns about their use, assuring the public that no one would be “monitored.” He explained that the drones would be used to assess situations involving loud music and disruptive behavior, allowing the police to determine whether immediate action is required.
Adams emphasized that the drones would be deployed from a safe distance and would not invade anyone’s privacy. He argued that drones can reach problem areas much faster than officers navigating through crowded streets.
The NYPD commissioner echoed the mayor’s sentiments, describing drones as “a wonderful thing” for the police force.
Recently, the city deployed police drones at two events in Manhattan that escalated into violence — a fight at Washington Square Park after the Pride parade and during streamer Kai Cenat’s gamer giveaway in Union Square.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
