Long Island authorities have received the greenlight from Nassau County as of Thursday, Dec. 19, to shoot down mysterious drones that may pose a threat. Officials say that they are not waiting for disaster to strike before taking action.
The authorization came as the county showed off a new cutting-edge drone command center. The technology reportedly allows authorities to track drones from miles away and can intercept and take down aircraft posing a threat, but it still needs approval from the U.S. federal government.
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As they await permission, county officials sayid they’re taking preemptive action against any possible threats. When asked if the authorization violates federal law, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman responded.
“No, no, we have the ability to stop a crime that could result in tremendous loss of life or tremendous loss of property damage,” Blakeman said. “We have that right. It’s not something that’s exclusive to drones. It would be with respect to, if we had to takedown a truck that was full of explosives.”
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said his officers are willing and ready to shoot, noting the department’s “world-renowned snipers.”
The announcement follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) extension of its drone ban over New Jersey and parts of New York, including Brooklyn, Queens and parts of Long Island.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., said the overflight restriction includes some of New York’s “critical infrastructure sites,” though she added there are currently “no threats to these sites.”
The FAA’s nearly monthlong ban allows for “deadly force” to be used to bring the drones down. While the White House has downplayed the drones as a non-threat to public safety, speculation is running wild.
A New Jersey mayor has claimed that the drones are sniffing out radioactive material, and a U.S. lawmaker raised concerns that they could be from an “Iranian mothership.” Others have suggested the sightings could be coming from space.
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Ryder said he wants to use the new tracking tech to not just track drones but to shoot them down as well. In the meantime, he’s not waiting on the new technology.
“We have to do whatever means necessary to protect the people this county and we have been given that authorization,” Ryder said.
Tags: Drones, Federal Aviation Administration, Gun laws, Guns, Joe Biden, Kathy Hochul, New Jersey, New York, New York City, Police, Police officers, White House, White House National Security Council
[JACK AYLMER]
LONG ISLAND AUTHORITIES JUST GOT THE GREENLIGHT FROM NASSAU COUNTY TO SHOOT DOWN MYSTERIOUS DRONES.
OFFICIALS SAYING THEY’RE NOT WAITING FOR DISASTER TO HAPPEN BEFORE TAKING ACTION.
THE AUTHORIZATION CAME THURSDAY AS THE COUNTY SHOWED OFF A NEW CUTTING-EDGE DRONE COMMAND CENTER.
THE TECH ALLOWS AUTHORITIES TO TRACK DRONES FROM MILES AWAY AND CAN INTERCEPT AND TAKE DOWN AIRCRAFT POSING A THREAT.
BUT IT STILL NEEDS APPROVAL FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT’S WHY COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE TAKING PREEMPTIVE ACTION.
ASKED IF THE AUTHORIZATION VIOTATES FEDERAL LAW, NASSAU COUNTY OFFICIAL BRUCE BLAKEMAN RESPONDED:
[BRUCE BLAKEMAN]
NO, NO, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP A CRIME THAT COULD RESULT IN TREMENDOUS LOSS OF LIFE OR TREMENDOUS LOSS OF PROPERTY DAMAGE.
WE HAVE THAT RIGHT. IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT’S EXCLUSIVE TO DRONES. IT WOULD BE WITH RESPECT TO IF WE HAD TO TAKE DOWN A TRUCK THAT WAS FULL OF EXPLOSIVES.
[JACK AYLMER]
NASSAU COUNTY POLICE COMMISSIONER PATRICK RYDER SAYS HIS OFFICERS ARE WILLING AND READY TO SHOOT, NOTING, THE DEPARTMENT’S “WORLD-RENOWNED SNIPERS.”
THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION’S EXTENSION OF ITS DRONE BAN OVER NEW JERSEY AND PARTS OF NEW YORK, INCLUDING BROOKLYN, QUEENS AND LONG ISLAND.
NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL SAYS THE OVERFLIGHT RESTRICTION INCLUDES SOME THE STATE’S “CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SITES,” THOUGH SHE ADDED THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO THREATS TO THESE SITES.
THE F-A-A’S NEARLY MONTHSLONG BAN ALLOWS FOR “DEADLY FORCE” TO BE USED TO BRING THE DRONES DOWN.
WHILE THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DOWNPLAYED THE DRONES AS A NON-THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SPECULATION IS RUNNING WILD.
WITH A NEW JERSEY MAYOR CLAIMING THE DRONES ARE SNIFFING OUT RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND A U-S LAWMAKER RAISING CONCERNS THEY COULD BE FROM AN “IRANIAN MOTHERSHIP.” OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED THE SIGHTINGS COULD BE FROM SPACE.
RYDER SAYS HE WANTS TO USE THE NEW TRACKING TECH TO NOT JUST TRACK DRONES BUT SHOOT THEM DOWN.
IN THE MEANTIME, HE’S NOT WAITING ON THE NEW TECH.
[PATRICK RYDER]
WE HAVE TO DO WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AND WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THAT AUTHORIZATION.
[JACK AYLMER]
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.
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