Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Public raises privacy and data-sharing concerns at Syracuse hearing on police drone program
Summary
City residents urged the Syracuse Common Council to delay or reject a proposed expansion of remote-operated drone use by the Syracuse Police Department, citing gaps in procedures, potential data-sharing under the Axon contract, and civil‑liberties risks.
Syracuse residents urged the Syracuse Common Council on an item described by the clerk as "an agreement with ACT corporation" related to police drones, saying the Syracuse Police Department's proposed expansion to remotely operated drones lacks sufficient procedural safeguards and could put sensitive data at risk.
At a public hearing, Barry Gewanter, a Syracuse resident, said the proposal was premature. "For this reason and others, this program is not ready for approval, and I urge you to delay consideration until a new procedure document is draft," Gewanter said, adding that existing procedure document 602 (from 2020) limits drone operations to line‑of‑sight and has not been updated.
The concern about procedures and oversight was echoed by Lee Cridland of the Syracuse Peace Council. "Unrestricted use of drones by the police is not acceptable," Cridland said, noting the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
