Drones In Fort Bragg?

From the recent meeting of the Fort Bragg City Council's public safety committee:

The Police Department would like to obtain a Drone to assist with patrolling the Coastal Trail and special events in the City. Patrolling the Coastal Trail is not possible in a car. Bicycles will be used to patrol the trail but a Drone would add another way to keep an eye on the activity on the trail without sending out officers, unless it becomes necessary. Citizens have privacy concerns when it comes to Drones. The Department intends on patrolling in wide open areas with the Drone, such as the Coastal Trail and beaches where there is no expectation of privacy. Drones have a limited flight time of about 20-25 minutes and can be difficult to use in very windy situations. They would prove very beneficial in any natural disaster situation such as an earthquake, searching for a missing child or searching for a suspect in incidents such as was the case with Jere Melo or Deputy Delfiorentino. Deitz agreed that a Drone could save lives in certain situations. There would be a limited number of officers who would be trained to be experts in the use of the Drone, although all officers would have a basic knowledge of its capabilities. A FLIR (forward looking infrared device) can be mounted on a Drone to enhance its capabilities. Drones can also be used to view trespass marijuana grows in the woods. Most Drones are equipped with GPS so they can be found if they come down for any reason before being brought back to the station. Ruffing mentioned that some cities are prohibiting recreational and private Drone use because some people find them offensive as they can be noisy and obnoxious. Visitors to the Coastal Trail could be offended if there were numerous personal Drones buzzing around the trail. As far as Law Enforcement use, there are policies that other cities have established that Fort Bragg could use as a template for establishing its own policy. A Drone for Law Enforcement uses is supported by the Committee. The Chief gave a brief update on the purchase of Body Cameras.

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A FORT BRAGG RESIDENT writes to a City councilman about the police chief's desire to buy a drone: "I am shocked that you support the city getting a drone. If you think tourists are the only folks who will find its presence offensive, obnoxious, noisy and intrusive, you are wrong. We came here forty years ago to escape urban life, and many recent arrivals came for the same reason. Drones represent the worst of that. And everyone I know likes some personal privacy at the beaches and headlands, not just tourists, to enjoy nature, meditate, and appreciate the scene without a drone bothering them. Nobody wants to be spied on. Your drone certainly won’t last long, if purchased. And please inform me of the cost of this device."

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FORT BRAGG'S CHIEF himself has a rather unsavory background as a spy during his days with the LAPD, and as recounted below. The LAPD first adventures in spying occurred in July of 1923 when LAPD Officer William "Red" Hynes infiltrated the International Workers of the World (IWW) union. Hynes, a young LAPD officer, was assigned to infiltrate the IWW and the Communist Party, apparently unaware of the enmity between the two groups. The department's wholly uninformed and incompetent spying continued through the turbulent 1960s and well into the 1980s.

May 1, 1980 – Fabian Lizarraga, an undercover agent with the LAPD who has infiltrated the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), helps to instigate a riot at a rally the RCP holds in MacArthur Park. While undercover, Lizarraga slept with an RCP member as a way to get more information from her. He was also present when an RCP member was murdered at Aliso Village housing project by gang members. Attorneys for RCP claimed that LAPD intentionally stayed away from the area while the RCP was there because they suspected that the group members would be attacked.

1982 – Documents released because of lawsuits against LAPD reveal that Chief Gates, who had earlier claimed that the LAPD had no interest in the CCPR, was frequently briefed on the group’s activities and members. The spying occurred despite internal police rules against conducting surveillance on peaceful groups.

The LAPD continues spy programs to this day.

May 2011 – LAPD begins using cameras in its helicopter fleet that are powerful enough to recognize an object in a person’s hand from thousands of feet in the air.