Lawmakers in Hartford, Connecticut have been discussing the banning of weaponizing of drones- including those operated by Law Enforcement.
According to Fox 61, lawmakers convened on Monday to discuss the proposal of a bill that would ban the weaponization for drones by private citizens, while talks the following day concerned limitations being placed on law enforcement.
“We absolutely support a ban on the public weaponizing drones” said David McGuire, representative for the Connecticut branch of the ACLU.
Conversely, he also oppose Law Enforcement use of the drones in the same capacity.
“We are concerned there could be misuse, particularly on vulnerable communities,” he said in the panel.
Law Enforcement representatives scoff at the idea for limitations, pushing for greater personal freedom when it comes to how their department can use drones.
When pressed, Law Enforcement representatives cited scenarios in which the drones could be used- from taking snipers on rooftops to more bizarre scenarios.
“We’ve had a report that somebody’s going to fly a drone into an airplane, into an engine, or it’s a weaponized drone,” Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said. “We’re concerned and we don’t have those answers yet.”
Currently, the bill would require warrants for police to use the drones in a surveillance capacity.
