A new anti-police-drone campaign says the risk of Los Angeles authorities abusing their power and spying on innocent civilians is too great to allow the department to start using the devices.
Members of a group of civil rights and community activists called the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition stood on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Thursday and announced the launch of a campaign aimed at keeping the department’s two drones grounded for good.
They chanted, “Drone-free LAPD!” and “No drones LA!”
“If we do deploy these, not sure we ever will, it’ll be based on a strict set of written guidelines approved by the police commission,” said Cmdr. Andy Smith. “Absent approval from the police commission and public acceptance, we’re not going to use them. Chief Beck said if it compromises public trust, we won’t use them.”
The LAPD announced in May that it had acquired two Draganflyer X6 aircraft from Seattle police, which had to ditch the technology after significant public criticism.
But the LAPD has not used them, officials say. The drones are locked up in a federal building until police and the public agree on their use.
“The LAPD, as an institution, has an undeniable legacy of mission creep,” said Xander Snyder, a member of Restore the Fourth, a group that aims to limit government surveillance and preserve civilian privacy.
“As a community, we’re not here to be experimented on,” said Jamie Garcia, a Boyle Heights nurse and member of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition.