Drones might eventually be used for surveillance in New York City, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly revealed Thursday.
Kelly said the eyes in the sky — which have worried civil rights activists — could prove useful when sizing-up demonstrations, adding to an NYPD arsenal that already includes 3,000 cameras and high-powered anti-aircraft rifles that can shoot down planes.
“We’re looking into it,” Kelly told an audience during a rare public interview at the 92nd Street Y Thursday night. “Anything that helps us.”
Kelly noted that drones are widely used in law enforcement, especially along the border.
But New York presents challenges.
“There’s a lot of air traffic,” he noted. As a result, “The only thing we would do is maybe use the cheap $250 ones to take a look and see the size of the demonstration or something along those lines.”
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