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Neighbors Push Back After Hurst Police Hover Drone Over Back Yard Without Warning
NBC DFW ^ | Apr 4, 2017 | Alice Barr

Posted on 04/05/2017 11:36:03 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Neighbors in Hurst are now pushing back after a police drone hovered over a resident's backyard 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 backyard," 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. They said the day they were over Sanchez's yard 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 backyard," 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 told NBC 5 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 said it's not used in the field.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aviation; drones; texas
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To: SubMareener

Well, it seems pretty silly to me to think they’re going to be very effective with the things if they don’t train with them. And I don’t know how you could do effective training anywhere but over the city, bein’ as it’s the police. Maybe they could mark them or something.


21 posted on 04/05/2017 12:15:00 PM PDT by ichabod1 (I call Obama "osama" because he damaged us far more than Osama bin Ladin ever did.)
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To: servantboy777

I considered that outcome, I live in the COuntry , out in the sticks so it will never happen around me. But if I lived in the City and this happened, I would absolutely bring it Down with a Jammer and Erase All the electronics with a mini EMP. Then I would call 911 and report that I was ATTACKED by An ILLEGAL DRONE and My Lawyer and I would be FILING Formal Criminal Charges against the Operator Immediately.

Reckless Endangerment
Criminal Stalking
Trespassing
Eavesdropping
Assault and Battery


22 posted on 04/05/2017 12:16:00 PM PDT by eyeamok (destruction of government records.)
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To: RedStateRocker

This area, where JRandomFreeper hailed from, also thunk up a cute little ‘voluntary’ checkpoint for collecting DNA. We hammered Abbott together, who wrote us both back, and that operation was prohibited the next day.


23 posted on 04/05/2017 12:17:59 PM PDT by txhurl
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To: nickcarraway

Can’t shoot it down in the city limits, so what might be a good way to bring it down?


24 posted on 04/05/2017 12:19:11 PM PDT by Reno89519 (Drain the Swamp is not party specific. Lyn' Ted is still a liar, Good riddance to him.)
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To: numberonepal; Jeff Chandler
Mossberg

OK. You win. But I'd suppress it ;).


25 posted on 04/05/2017 12:23:47 PM PDT by DCBryan1 (No realli, moose bytes can be quite nasti!)
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To: eyeamok
I'm hearing ya. Just those boyz wiff dere toyz will serve up a huge 54!7 sandwich to those who destroy their equipment.

Furthermore, won't be long, police drones will be armed. First with nonlethal, then they will move to lethal forms of armament.

I believe Connecticut will be the first to arm their drones. At this point, try to bring one down and ya may get a bean bag round to the forehead. Juss sayin

26 posted on 04/05/2017 12:26:59 PM PDT by servantboy777
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To: MeganC
So long as it’s not visible from public

Clothes not required at all in San Francisco, or at least that was the case because they had to carry towels to set on in restaurants.

27 posted on 04/05/2017 12:29:04 PM PDT by itsahoot (As long as there is money to be divided, there will be division.)
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To: faucetman
TV show “Colony” not so far fetched.

The story line in that show is beginning to make sense so I guess they will have to cancel it.


Nope, just checked.
Renewed Season 3

28 posted on 04/05/2017 12:32:42 PM PDT by itsahoot (As long as there is money to be divided, there will be division.)
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To: Reno89519
so what might be a good way to bring it down?

There was a story on FOX this morning decrying the use of these cheap drones y terrorists. They can be brought down with electronic devices, some even let you take control of them or you can just emp them.

29 posted on 04/05/2017 12:35:56 PM PDT by itsahoot (As long as there is money to be divided, there will be division.)
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To: servantboy777

A small handheld Spark Gap Jammer/Transmitter powered by a 9 volt battery will NEVER be seen, about the size of a Pack of Cigarettes and is good for Line of Sight of a couple hundred Yards easily. IT WILL JUST CRASH AND BURN, Nobody will ever figure out why, it just will.!!!


30 posted on 04/05/2017 12:36:34 PM PDT by eyeamok (destruction of government records.)
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To: nickcarraway

They could have picked a hundred other places to conduct a training exercise.

Sling shot with ball bearings. No noise and effective.


31 posted on 04/05/2017 12:40:05 PM PDT by Texas resident (Democrats=Enemy of People of The United States of America)
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To: Reno89519
Can’t shoot it down in the city limits, so what might be a good way to bring it down?

Why not? Paint guns are legal, and probably don't fit the definition of "firearm" in most jurisdictions, except probably in places like communist Massachusetts or New Jersey

32 posted on 04/05/2017 12:41:07 PM PDT by zeugma (The Brownshirts have taken over American Universities.)
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To: eyeamok
So, if it happens to you...they now know that you have a jammer. lol

Prolly ought to not show your cards at the poker table.

33 posted on 04/05/2017 12:47:02 PM PDT by servantboy777
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To: Jeff Chandler

We wus jes a playin’ paintball. Figgered Billy Bob done called in his air force.

If one of those comes flying around my house and gets lower than the top of the chimney +/- a safety margin, I’ll regard it as an invasion of my air space.


34 posted on 04/05/2017 12:48:31 PM PDT by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: DCBryan1

I knew a guy who used a suppressed shotgun in VN, said it terrified the Viet Cong.


35 posted on 04/05/2017 1:29:37 PM PDT by PLMerite (Lord, let me die fighting lions. Amen)
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To: nickcarraway

Almost no individual in government, at any level, is to be trusted with what they say. Sorry.


36 posted on 04/05/2017 1:40:15 PM PDT by subterfuge
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To: DCBryan1

OMG! That’s real purdy.


37 posted on 04/05/2017 1:51:26 PM PDT by numberonepal (First they came for Sarah, then they came for Herman, and now they've come for Trump.)
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To: ichabod1

How about training on their own houses? It


38 posted on 04/05/2017 1:57:39 PM PDT by SubMareener (Save us from Quarterly Freepathons! Become a MONTHLY DONOR)
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To: nickcarraway
Neat little round of ammo - and I love the name:

http://www.kennesawcutlery.com/12-Gauge-Skynet-Drone-Defense-%E2%80%93-3-Pack-35975


39 posted on 04/05/2017 2:01:29 PM PDT by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt)
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To: Reno89519

Buy your own drone and indulge in some aerial jousting. Some variant of the tactics the RAF used against the V1 flying bomb should produce reasonable results. Or get one that can carry a reasonable payload and use it to dump water on the interloping drone. Usually not terribly waterproof.


40 posted on 04/05/2017 5:08:03 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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