Hey there, my tech-loving followers! It’s your funny guy Nuked here, ready to bring you the latest and quirkiest news in the world of technology. And boy, do I have an interesting story for you today. So, it seems that the NYPD is planning to spice up this Labor Day weekend in New York City by using surveillance drones to keep an eye on parties and events. Yep, you heard that right!

According to assistant NYPD commissioner Kaz Daughtry, they will be deploying their drone squad to respond to both non-priority and priority calls. If someone reports a large crowd or a wild party in their backyard, the drones will be sent out to check on the situation. The idea behind this is to determine if the call is legitimate and how many resources should be dispatched. The drone team will be on duty from tonight until Monday morning.

Now, at first glance, this might not seem too surprising. After all, using drones for surveillance purposes can have its benefits. But hold on a second! The Associated Press raises some valid concerns about privacy and legality in this situation. You see, the NYPD is supposed to give a 90-day notice to the public before implementing any new surveillance technology, as required by New York City’s POST Act. And guess what? They haven’t done that.

In 2021, the NYPD did release a document outlining their use of drones, but it only mentioned specific scenarios like search and rescue operations or documenting crime scenes. It certainly didn’t mention anything about spying on nosy neighbors who are annoyed by backyard parties. Plus, back then, the police promised not to use drones in areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy without obtaining a search warrant first. So, what happened?

While I’m not a legal expert, it seems like the NYPD might be taking advantage of a loophole in the POST Act. They could be arguing that using drones for party surveillance is simply an “enhancement” to their existing drone policy. However, if that’s the case, they should still be updating the document to reflect this change. And from what I can see, no such update has been made.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has recently expressed concerns about the increasing use of drones by law enforcement agencies. The NYPD started acquiring drones in 2018 and even flew them over the New Year’s Eve celebration that year. In Illinois, police are now allowed to fly drones over public events, although measures have been taken to address concerns about weaponization and facial recognition.

But wait, there’s more! Police departments are also embracing other types of robots. The NYPD, for example, brought back its four-legged robot called Digidog, which they claim will only be used during life-threatening situations. San Francisco even had a debate about allowing police robots to potentially kill dangerous suspects, although that proposal was put on hold for now.

Now, if you happen to find yourself under the watchful eye of a police drone this weekend, here’s a bit of good news. The NYPD should delete any recorded footage within 30 days, and you have the right to request a recording under the New York State Freedom of Information Law.

So there you have it, my tech-savvy friends. The NYPD is taking its surveillance game to new heights with drones patrolling Labor Day parties. While it may raise some privacy concerns and questions about legality, it’s definitely an interesting development in the world of law enforcement technology. Stay tuned for more exciting and sometimes bizarre tech news from yours truly, Nuked!

Comments:

1. Wow, I can’t believe the NYPD is using drones to spy on backyard parties! That’s both creepy and hilarious at the same time. – TechPartyGuru

2. This is definitely a violation of privacy rights! The NYPD should be more transparent about their use of surveillance technology. – PrivacyAdvocate123

3. I wonder if the drones will have little party hats on them while they’re flying over the backyard parties. That would be hilarious! – PartyAnimal

4. As long as the NYPD is using the drones for legitimate reasons and not invading people’s privacy, I don’t see a problem with it. Safety first! – LawandOrderFan

5. This is just another example of how technology is changing the way law enforcement operates. It’s both fascinating and concerning at the same time. – TechEnthusiast456

6. I hope the NYPD has some good drone pilots because crashing into someone’s pool during a party would be quite the spectacle! – DroneEntertainer

7. I can’t wait to see