Old Trooper sends us a link to an article about some North Dakota police who got an assist from the Air Force’s drones to locate some cattle rustlers.
As the unmanned aircraft circled 2 miles overhead the next morning, sophisticated sensors under the nose helped pinpoint the three suspects and showed they were unarmed. Police rushed in and made the first known arrests of U.S. citizens with help from a Predator, the spy drone that has helped revolutionize modern warfare.
But that was just the start. Local police say they have used two unarmed Predators based at Grand Forks Air Force Base to fly at least two dozen surveillance flights since June. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration have used Predators for other domestic investigations, officials said.
This ought to fire up the conspiracy theorists. They were already walking around with twisted knickers over black helicopters, now drones. I’m not all that worried about it. If they catch me outside on “Naked Wednesdays” that’s their problem.
TSO adds; I just hope it doesn’t crash in Detroit, because we will never get it back.
The question is who owns the drones. If a law enforcement agency doled out the cash, that’s fine. If they say USAF and are operated and maintained by the ND ANG, that’s fine. If they say USAF and are operated and maintained in a Title X status, or they are CIA aircraft, there are some serious Posse Comitatus issues. I don’t have a problem with cops and drones, as such, but I do have a problem with the military acting as a law enforcement arm.
I’m wondering what the penalty will be for those who stole the cattle. Most states still have capital punishment laws for cattle rustling and horse theft.
Bobo–not a PC issue. From the article:
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration have used Predators for other domestic investigations, officials said.
Couple that with the fact that the LEO’s specifically requested the asset, and it looks as if it’s very similar to other drug surveillance flights, which nobody of any measure of sanity would argue are illegal.
Flag–most of those laws are of the archaic type like no tapping your feet to the music in a bar in NH (real law, BTW.) Grand larceny and ADW on a police officer (they brandished weapons against a deputy) are very much on the table, though.
NHSparky (3) Bobo–not a PC issue. From the article:
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration have used Predators for other domestic investigations, officials said.
Frank: “Since military assets have previously been utilized for law-enforcement purposes, this use isn’t a violation of Posse Comitatus.”
🙄
“If they catch me outside on “Naked Wednesdays” that’s their problem.” What’s worse for the operators is at night when they spot two objects with a total of six legs on the thermal camera…
Gotta wonder if that “somebody else already did it” defense would work well in a murder case??
From the article – “The drones belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates eight Predators on the country’s northern and southwestern borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers.”
Customs has been flying them out here in AZ for awhile.
Long time reader here – first time poster. Great website that is a must read for me daily.
Thanks, eggs. Contrary to what the few moonbat libertarian troofer Ron Paul posters may think, not all drones are used by or for the military. I can think of a plethora of items which were originally developed for the military which have found civilian (both law enforcement and normal Joes) uses.
It’s just that the word “drone” evokes emotions in the moonbat libertarian “civil liberty” crowd like “assault weapon” drives the liberals batshit crazy.
Not sure they’ve ever been used out here for apprehending cattle rustlers.
@6. It doesn’t work here, either, OWB. The prior misuse of something does not justify misusing it again. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that the use of the craft was a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, especially in light of that act’s numerous exceptions and exclusions. I’m only saying that IF it was previously used illegally, that alone is no legal basis for its being used illegally again. On the other hand, if it was previously used legally and this instance was also legal, then citing to its prior use is unnecessary–for justification purposes, anyway.
Posse Comitatus was meant to prevent ground troops being used against a state. Now we know how Paulbots, and Libtards love to harp on about the exact wording, and I’m sure a case could be made about “invasion of privacy” if you’re using air assets to track a subject, those are the more insane rants mind you.
to my knowledge one does not need a warrant to use surveillance during a sting. Having helicopters or fixed position over-watch has been standard practice for years. If these drones did not engage in offensive action against the individuals in question then the practical aspect is clear. If, however the drones were armed and actually fired on these cattle rustlers then yeah that would probably violate the law.
Drones are coming to LE. They’re cheaper than police choppers and in states like ND, work much better.
The NY and NM air guard are getting predators and reapers. Expect State governors to use them.
Waiting for the paranoid tinfoil hat crowd in 3…2..1..