[Savage Clone]

They can see you.

[SynthethicalY]

I guess interest in L.A. is lost.

[cryptowonderdruginvogue]

It's A Trap!

[atari 2600]

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77113

UFO? No! Its Houston PD!
http://www.click2houston.com/investi...66/detail.html

Quote:
WALLER COUNTY, Texas -- Houston police started testing unmanned aircraft and the event was shrouded in secrecy, but it was captured on tape by Local 2 Investigates.

Neighbors in rural Waller County said they thought a top-secret military venture was under way among the farmland and ranches, some 70 miles northwest of Houston. KPRC Local 2 Investigates had four hidden cameras aimed at a row of mysterious black trucks. Satellite dishes and a swirling radar added to the neighbors' suspense.

Then, cameras were rolling as an unmanned aircraft was launched into the sky and operated by remote control.

Houston police cars were surrounding the land with a roadblock in place to check each of the dignitaries arriving for the invitation-only event. The invitation spelled out, "NO MEDIA ALLOWED."

HPD Chief Harold Hurtt attended, along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and dozens of officers from various police agencies in the Houston area. Few of the guests would comment as they left the test site.

News Chopper 2 had a Local 2 Investigates team following the aircraft for more than one hour as it circled overhead. Its wings spanned 10 feet and it circled at an altitude of 1,500 feet. Operators from a private firm called Insitu, Inc. manned remote controls from inside the fleet of black trucks as the guests watched a live feed from the high-powered camera aboard the 40-pound aircraft.

"I wasn't ready to publicize this," Executive Assistant Police Chief Martha Montalvo said. She and other department leaders hastily organized a news conference when they realized Local 2 Investigates had captured the entire event on camera.

"We still haven't even decided how we were going to go forward on this task, so it seemed premature to me to announce this to the media," Montalvo said. "But since, obviously, the media found out about it, then I don't see any reason why just not go forward with what we have so far."

Montalvo told reporters the unmanned aircraft would be used for "mobility" or traffic issues, evacuations during storms, homeland security, search and rescue, and also "tactical." She admitted that could include covert police actions and she said she was not ruling out someday using the drones for writing traffic tickets.

A large number of the officers at the test site were assigned to the department's ticket-writing Radar Task Force. Capt. Tom Runyan insisted they were only there to provide "site security," even though KPRC cameras spotted those officers heavily participating in the test flight.

Houston police contacted KPRC from the test site, claiming the entire airspace was restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration. Police even threatened action from the FAA if the Local 2 helicopter remained in the area. However, KPRC reported it had already checked with the FAA on numerous occasions and found no flight restrictions around the site, a point conceded by Montalvo.

HPD leaders said they would address privacy and unlawful search questions later.

South Texas College of Law professor Rocky Rhodes, who teaches the constitution and privacy issues, said, "One issue is going to be law enforcement using this and when, by using these drones, are they conducting a search in which they'd need probable cause or a warrant. If the drones are being used to get into private spaces and be able to view where the government cannot otherwise go, and to collect information that would not otherwise be able to collect, that's concerning to me."

HPD Assistant Chief Vickie King said of the unmanned aircraft, "It's interesting that privacy doesn't occur or searches aren't an issue when you have a helicopter pilot over you and it would not be used in airspace other than what our helicopters are used in already."

She admitted that police helicopters are not equipped with cameras nearly as powerful as the unmanned aircraft, but she downplayed any privacy concerns, saying news helicopters have powerful cameras as well.

HPD stressed it is working with the FAA on reviewing the technical specifications, the airworthiness and hazards of flying unmanned aircraft in an urban setting. Future test flights are planned.

The price tag for an unmanned aircraft ranges from $30,000 to $1 million each and HPD is hoping to begin law enforcement from the air by June of 2008 with these new aircraft.

There seems to be a lot wrong with this media account of a PD testing new waters. The media is told to leave by the PD and continues to follow the drone around capturing it's amazing UFO Sighting-type footage

 

. Give me a break, plenty of LE technology has stemmed from the military, and as far as aviation is concerned, drones are not brand spanking new. Kudos to this department for attempting to introduce a useful application of drone technology. I really liked how "investigative" this report was.

 

[atari 2600]

Originally Posted by SynthethicalY

I guess interest in L.A. is lost.

Naw, there's probably just too many people in L.A. that might call foul for invasion of privacy and constitutional infringement.

Ever since the wall fell between West and East Berlin and the time of the Stasi, The UK has been the absolute worst though. The British government has a record of every single vehicle trip and came up with the first complex and modern nationwide telephone surveillance system, etc.

[Savage Clone]

Whether or not there can be arguments made for so-called "useful applications" of this technology, the potential for this to be misused in ways that violate unlawful search procedures (and any number of other intrusions into the pricate lives of citizens) is astronomical. Especially in a time when the general population seems so willing to give up their liberties for the illusion of safety.

Edit:
I feel pretty stupid responding to a poster from another message board who will never see this. Oh well.

[pokkeherrie]

I want one.

[ALIEN ANAL]

thats what she said

[val-holla-ing]

that's stupid.

[tesla69]

They certainly aren't going to ask the citizens for permission, they need to work in secret.

As for LA, they already did their testing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5051142.stm

[Rob Instigator]

drones everywhere!

[tesla69]

now Miami.

[Rob Instigator]

you know what this is about? I BET it is drones equipped with infrared cameras to catch the high end marihuana grow houses that proliferate in houston's upper middle class and upper class neighborhoods.

DAMN

[floatingslowly]

Anyone have any [POLICE SURVEILLANCE DEVICES] books they'd like to part with? I've got a pretty extensive library of 100+ titles but I'm always looking for more.

[tesla69]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

you know what this is about? I BET it is drones equipped with infrared cameras to catch the high end marihuana grow houses that proliferate in houston's upper middle class and upper class neighborhoods.

DAMN

Do you happen to remember in the 1990's when it seemed every little fire dept (at least in New England) had fund raisers so they could buy infrared cameras to "help rescue people in fires"...

Right now that kind of drive by scanning isn't viable evidence in court, but its real easy for the pigs to come up with anonymous tips. "We have to inspect your house we had a tip there has been a gun shot"

Meanwhile, my taxes paid for Ghouliani to fuck his whore.

[Rob Instigator]

exactly. an infrared camera would do NOTHING in a raging fire. fascism is soon here, if not already knocking at the door.
keep the rich richer and the poor stupid.

[tesla69]

the pigs arer real stupid if they decriminalized weed they'd suddenly have several million real patriots on their side, but as American Gangster makes clear 100,000 people keep their jobs thank to the 'drug war'. Meanwhile thousands of children each year die thanks to car accidents. No children die from using marijuana. Its a moral and political and cultural war against US.