Boston police now want drones hovering over next year's marathon:

[Fire Walk With Me]

Drones ?@drones 19m

Boston police now want drones hovering over next year's marathon:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/24/boston-police-want-drones-for-marathon-security/ …


Boston’s top cop wants drones hovering over next year’s marathon, but getting his hands on one may be easier said than done.

More than 30 states, including Massachusetts, are rushing to restrict the use of drones by law enforcement, with some seeking to ban it in all but the most extreme circumstances.

Even if unmanned aerial systems could have shortened the search for the terrorists who wreaked havoc on Boston last week, many people are deeply skeptical about giving authorities carte blanche to use potentially dangerous technology.

“It’s not surprising that you have law enforcement agencies rushing out to use [the Boston bombing and subsequent manhunt] as pretext to secure additional powers but I think we have to maintain perspective and realize that civil liberties and the protections we’re granted under the Constitution and our rights to privacy, to a degree, are nonnegotiable,” said Massachusetts state Sen. Robert Hedlund, a Republican and sponsor of a drone restriction bill in the legislature.

(More at the link.)

[virgogal]

1. No thanks BPD,no thanks !

[Common Sense Party]

2. Washington Times? Nice.

Even assuming for a second that anything that rightwing dishtowel says is even half-true, how would this be different than having a Goodyear blimp flying overhead, filming everything.

You know perfectly well there aren't going to be any Hellfire missiles on the drone.

[dtom67]

3. regardless of the source...

You can bet that every tragedy that befalls us will be followed by legislation that is designed to "protect " us by limiting our rights. In this instance, I think the attack will be against internet freedoms, not the totalitarian nightmare that is drone surveillance. I don't think we have to worry about that until Americans' ability to Organize is completely destroyed.

And part of that is clamping down on the internet. Probably will be characterized as "trying to prevent people from self-radicalizing ". The ultimate target being American citizens who might try to protest government policy.

OWS is a prime example...

[lunatica]

4. It took less than a week to catch these guys and only a day or two to figure out who did it

All with existing surveillance and people's iphones. How are drones going to make it easier? Unless, of course, it isn't totally about catching criminals or keeping us safer. What an ass.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Someone pointed out that the FBI have known about them for years, yet asked for help ID'ing them.

Something's not adding up.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

7. When it comes to the FBI...

Does anything ever add up?

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Maybe they could declare all males ages 14-45 killed in the vicinity of a target

enemy combatants.