Neighbors in Hurst are now pushing back after a police drone hovered over one back yard, without warning.
Bobbie Sanchez said the feeling of privacy disappeared when her child said “Mommy there’s a drone over our roof.”
Sanchez said it was hovering long enough for her to take photos, and then call for help.
“They’re watching my children play in the back yard,” said Sanchez. “I called the Hurst police department and was pretty surprised to hear that it was them.”
“”
Hurst police and fire started using drones earlier this year. The day they found Sanchez’s yard, they say, was a training exercise.
The department is already making changes. Any officer using the drone will now need high-level approval.
“We will not be doing any type of training exercises over houses and things like that,” said Hurst Police Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp.
Going forward, the department’s drones will only launch over crime scenes or accident scenes, or to find a suspect, an active shooter or a missing person. The fire department can also use them to strategize while fighting fires.
“We’re working for our citizens, if they have concerns then we definitely need to address it,” said Niekamp.
But for Sanchez, and some of her neighbors, trust is already damaged.
“It might be legal but it’s still creepy to think that police can be saying that they’re training or looking for a criminal and still be looking at you in your back yard,” said neighbor Casey Byrnes.
Sanchez added, “I am not a person who will give up privacy for safety.”
The Texas Privacy Act restricts making recordings on private property but Hurst police tell NBC5 they were not recording in this case.
Also in Tarrant County, Arlington and Mansfield police use drones. Fort Worth police have one for aerial photography, but they say it’s not used in the field.
Source: Neighbors Push Back After Hurst Police Hover Drone Over Back Yard Without Warning | NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Neighbors-Push-Back-After-Hurst-Police-Hover-Drone-Over-Back-Yard-Without-Warning-418033603.html#ixzz4dHkFWGvi
Follow us: @nbcdfw on Twitter | NBCDFW on Facebook
What a lovely piece of police propaganda.
where to start?
Why didn’t you shoot it? Shoot it!
Oh, that’s right. Your last name is Sanchez and it don’t matter how American you look or sound, you can still be deported.
Besides, they aren’t going to let anyone with the last name of Sanchez own a gun. That’s just how it is, lady.
“The department is already making changes. Any officer using the drone will now need high-level approval.”
Except when they don’t feel like picking up the phone.
“We will not be doing any type of training exercises over houses and things like that,” said Hurst Police Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp.
Except in the course of our normal duties of spying on people for no reason.
“We’re working for our citizens, if they have concerns then we definitely need to address it,” said Niekamp.
And then completely ignore what the citizens say because citizens are our slaves.
“It might be legal but it’s still creepy to think that police can be saying that they’re training or looking for a criminal and still be looking at you in your back yard,” said neighbor Casey Byrnes.
No, it’s not legal and I’m sure the police would like you to think it is, but they will go ahead and ignore your concerns anyways.
Sanchez added, “I am not a person who will give up privacy for safety.”
Well then, you better buy yourself a gun. Oops, you can’t. Cause your last name is Sanchez.
The Texas Privacy Act restricts making recordings on private property but Hurst police tell NBC5 they were not recording in this case.
As far as anyone knows.
Also in Tarrant County, Arlington and Mansfield police use drones. Fort Worth police have one for aerial photography, but they say it’s not used in the field.
Because they don’t launch it from a field nor take pictures of fields.
I guess that about covers it.
“Neighbors push back”
Bullshit !
if they were really pushing back there would be a huge law suit and the police would all be suspended until further investigation ( and not by themselves)
“The department is already making changes. Any officer using the drone will now need high-level approval.”
“Awww…gee whiz! Ya caught us watching your kiddies play in the yard! Gosh darn it, now we’ll have to find someone else to get our jollies off of.”
Best change ‘push back’ to SHOOT back.
Otherwise, just keep whining like a b#tch.
Until the pigs come to ‘help’.