We live in an age where constant surveillance in public places has become normal. It ensures the safety of the area, but people are still getting used to the idea of being watched, which is why the NYPD using drones to check on homes might face backlash.
Labor Day Surveillance
The NYPD has been using drones even before the announced Labor Day measures, but they are usually used in other matters like search and rescue and monitoring public events. Both are done in a public place or out of emergency, so people don't really have complaints.
However, the line might be drawn at being monitored in one's own address. Labor Day weekend calls for gatherings that could lead to noise complaints and other incidents, and the police intend to check on said complaints by flying a drone over the reported location.
Assistant NYPD Commissioner Kaz Daughtry says that if a caller states there is a large crowd or a large party in the backyard, they will be utilizing their assets to go up and check on the party, as reported by Engadget.
The problem is that there are policies against these kinds of monitoring. During the announcement in the press conference, it was not disclosed whether the NYPD would obtain a warrant for the noise complaints at private events for the Labor Day weekend.
The New York Civil Liberties Union is already pushing back against the surveillance measure, stating that it "flies in the face of the POST Act," which requires the NYPD to publish its policies for the usage of surveillance technology for the sake of transparency.
The police also promised that the drone system would not be used for "warrantless surveillance" when it was first launched. The policy states that NYPD personnel will have to obtain a search warrant that explicitly authorizes the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
These apply to "areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy," that is if the complaint does not count as an "exigent circumstance," as stated in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Impact and Use Policy.
Potential Incidents During Labor Day Weekend
Celebrations sometimes lead to unfortunate incidents that the police and other emergency responders have to attend to. For instance, there is an uptick in gunshots during the 4th of July due to rowdy parties and the use of firearms to make noises.
The same can be said with Labor Day weekend. Around the same time last year, New York City saw seven individuals shot across the city, which brought the total count of firearm incidents in the area up to at least 22 as the Labor Day weekend rolled in.
According to the New York Post, one of the seven reported incidents was fatal. A man named Calvin Kellman suffered a blast to the best in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn at around 12 AM, which resulted in his death.
Other shootings occurred late at night, although some were also reported to have happened during broad daylight. The drone system might be able to assess situations before they escalate to such extremes, but it doesn't change the fact that it counts as warrantless surveillance.
