Nassau County, Long Island, is stepping up its fight against potentially dangerous drone activity with new measures that grant local police the authority to shoot down drones deemed a threat to public safety. The announcement, made on Thursday, accompanies the unveiling of a state-of-the-art drone command center designed to detect and track drones from miles away.
While this bold move represents a major step forward in addressing security concerns, officials acknowledge that they still need federal approval to deploy more advanced drone mitigation tools.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman emphasized the importance of preemptive action to avoid catastrophic events. “We don’t want to wait until we have some kind of disastrous event to then say, ‘Well, we could have done this and we could have done that,’” Blakeman said.
Under his directive, the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) now has the authority to take immediate action against drones posing risks during mass gatherings or other high-profile events.
“If there is a mass gathering anywhere and there is a drone that is a threat to the public at large, they have the authority and the jurisdiction and the right to shoot down that drone,” Blakeman added.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder unveiled the county’s new drone command center, which can monitor drone activity within a 20-mile radius. Ryder highlighted the department’s preparedness, boasting that their team includes 30 elite snipers capable of taking down drones with pinpoint accuracy, even at a quarter-mile range.
However, Ryder admitted there are still significant challenges. “I can see a drone coming from 20 miles, but I can’t stop it,” he said, stressing the need for federal legislation that would allow local authorities to use advanced tools such as signal jamming or technology to force drones back to their home base.
Despite Nassau County’s advancements, their efforts are constrained by federal regulations that limit the use of drone mitigation technology. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains strict control over such tools, and local jurisdictions must obtain authorization to deploy them.
The urgency for these measures has grown amid an increase in drone sightings across the region. Recent FAA directives include a temporary ban on drone operations over parts of New Jersey and the authorization of “deadly force” against drones violating restricted airspace.
Drone activity near sensitive locations, including 17 U.S. military installations and properties linked to foreign entities such as China, has raised alarms. Some incidents have even sparked speculation about international threats.
One of the more alarming claims came from Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who suggested that an Iranian “mothership” stationed off the U.S. East Coast might be responsible for launching drones observed over New Jersey. Van Drew criticized the federal government’s response, calling it “not just frustrating—it’s dangerous.”
BREAKING REPORT – DRONES OVER NEW JERSEY ARE FROM IRAN: Congressman Jeff Van Drew claims Iran has stationed a “mothership” off the U.S. East Coast, reportedly launching drones now flying over New Jersey. pic.twitter.com/ayV8tYioXA
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 11, 2024
These revelations have only added urgency to calls for greater federal cooperation and expanded authority for local jurisdictions like Nassau County.
Blakeman has called on Congress to grant local authorities access to more effective tools for neutralizing drones. “We would like the power to do a few things,” he said. “Number one, we would like the technology so we don’t have to shoot it down, because that creates a whole ’nother set of problems with the people who are on the ground.”
Blakeman specifically advocated for drone mitigation technologies that could disable drones in flight or force them to return to their operators, reducing the risk to people on the ground. He also proposed legislation allowing local police to issue federal summonses for violations of drone laws.
As Nassau County moves forward with its new command center and enhanced police powers, officials remain committed to addressing the drone threat. However, Blakeman and Ryder both agree that without federal support, their ability to neutralize drones effectively will remain limited.
The mysterious surge in drone sightings has left residents uneasy and officials scrambling for answers. While the White House has downplayed concerns, local authorities are demanding swift action to prevent potential disasters.
Nassau County’s initiatives mark a significant step toward securing the skies, but the broader push for federal collaboration and advanced technology highlights the evolving nature of this security challenge. With lives and national security at stake, the pressure to act decisively has never been greater.
In the words of Blakeman, “We cannot afford to wait until it’s too late. The tools and authority to mitigate this threat must be put in the hands of those on the front lines.”
Ummmm… Snipers hitting a erratically moving target an hundreds of yards? Not happening. There’s a reason hunters of waterfowl use shotguns!
AND what about the sniper-rifle bullets that can kill a mile or two in the background? Some legitimate sniper ‘kills’ are over 1000-yards (3000′ or almost three-quarters of a mile away) – the record aimed sniper kill is almost 1-1/2 miles! What goes up, Must come down!
This whole matter is getting extremely dicey and even hard to believe that there is so much incompetence at top official levels!
This only serves to remind me of the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan! Total madness!
“Deadly force” against an inanimate object ? Public school system failure.
The FAA is a TOTAL fail on drones, needs fixed quick.
Sink or capture the ship, 3 weeks ago. The DOD/DNC/CIA Deep State allowed it to approach.
A DOD/DNC/CIA Deep State False Flag is in progress.
The seditious DOD Top Br…ASS are doing nothing, as directed by the DNC/Deep State.
True zip, and pushing for belly up disaster, so they can justify annihilation and total control of the masses! They aren’t our protectors, which is what the Constitution says they supposed to be, but are rather now our foremost in-house enemies that want all of us gone or sheeple; one way or another!