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Sheriff warns of weaponized drones, urges state law and counter‑drone capability
Summary
Sheriff Mike Bouchard told the oversight subcommittee that weaponized and surveillance drones are already being used by transnational groups and others, that current enforcement relies heavily on FAA authority, and that Michigan should mirror federal rules in state law and invest in detection and counter‑drone systems.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard told the House Oversight Subcommittee that drones pose an immediate and growing public‑safety threat — for smuggling contraband into prisons and public events, conducting pre‑operation surveillance for burglaries and violent attacks, and potentially as weaponized platforms.
Bouchard said his department fields an advanced drone unit with 87 pilots and a drone‑detection system but lacks state legal authority to counter malicious drones. “We can see it. We’re not authorized to stop it,” he told the committee, urging the Legislature to adopt state statutes that mirror FAA rules and give law enforcement clearer enforcement authority.
He described examples from abroad and in the U.S.: drones delivering contraband into jails, weaponized drones used in assassinations overseas, and drones flown at large public gatherings. He cited incidents at concerts and sporting venues and said detection systems can locate a drone and its likely pilot but state law is needed to enable decisive action.
Policy recommendations and practical steps: Bouchard recommended a state penal code provision making operation that violates FAA rules a state crime, expanded counter‑drone capability for high‑risk events and state grants to replace or retrofit Chinese‑manufactured drones used by public‑safety agencies with domestically supported equipment. He also suggested incentives to grow an American drone manufacturing base to reduce reliance on foreign hardware.
Ending: Committee members pressed for technical and funding details; Bouchard said counter‑drone capability, legal clarity and state grants for equipment and laboratory support are priorities.
