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Educating public that we aren't spying on them ...

Use social media. Its far cheaper and most people have their noses buried in a device 24/7 anyway. Every local LEO and fire agency around me have facebook pages and use them quite effectively.
 
I do not currently practice law. But I went to law school and I have handled Fourth Amendment cases and I believe that as a citizen of the United States, it is our obligation to protect the very little privacy that is given to us in our Constitution.

Law enforcement is not at all concerned with our privacy rights. They did not go to law school. They do not care about your reasonable expectation of privacy and they will try to get away with as much as they can until they are reigned in by our judicial system.
"Law enforcement is not at all concerned with our privacy rights. They did not go to law school. They do not care about your reasonable expectation of privacy and they will try to get away with as much as they can until they are reigned in by our judicial system. "

As a retired chief of police w/ 32 years on the job, permit me to say, and with all due respect, you are full of crap. Generalities, such as this comment, negate any hint of legitimacy to your point.
No different than me saying all lawyers are crooked, would burn their own mother for a buck, and can't spell "ethics." Of course, I'd never say that. ;)
 
To add to this... The average law enforcement officer could care less what you were doing only property. In fact they'd likely rather not know.

It is the politicians that inject their ideology into the law enforcement process that creates the majority of power abuse. The guys in the trenches getting their hands dirty? They just want to make it home and have one less nightmare that night.

It bears mentioning that the majority of politicians come from one place...the vast cesspool of attorneys. Look no further than DC and the 6 o'clock news to see what they're capable of.
"Law enforcement is not at all concerned with our privacy rights. They did not go to law school. They do not care about your reasonable expectation of privacy and they will try to get away with as much as they can until they are reigned in by our judicial system. "

As a retired chief of police w/ 32 years on the job, permit me to say, and with all due respect, you are full of crap. Generalities, such as this comment, negate any hint of legitimacy to your point.
No different than me saying all lawyers are crooked, would burn their own mother for a buck, and can't spell "ethics." Of course, I'd never say that. ;)
 
To support BA's comment 6 years ago the San Jose Police Dept purchased a octocopter costing over $18K back then.

Its primary purpose was for the bomb squad and was to be flown by a licensed LEO pilot, most likely a copter pilot.

But once Joe Q' Public got wind that the agency had a drone, there was an outcry and a signed petition to ground the octocopter from ever taking flight.

It now sits in a room/closet, untouched, and making homes for spiders. ;)

I have a question for you. If I'm flying and notice activity that I believe to be illegal and I notify the authorities, and they obtain a search warrant, could it be argued that the information was obtained due to an invasion of privacy?
 
I have a question for you. If I'm flying and notice activity that I believe to be illegal and I notify the authorities, and they obtain a search warrant, could it be argued that the information was obtained due to an invasion of privacy?
Avoid the drama and report it anonymously. Virtually all communities now have some version of crime stoppers or other venue where citizens can report crime anonymously. They'll either act on it or they won't and you'll be protected
 
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I have a question for you. If I'm flying and notice activity that I believe to be illegal and I notify the authorities, and they obtain a search warrant, could it be argued that the information was obtained due to an invasion of privacy?

Hey R-Perry,

Ok let's say, you happen to come across and record either human trafficking, or say even illegal cock-fighting (no pun intended), it is up to the enforcement and judicial side to make that decision to issue our a warrant and so on. Your only risk is loosing that Micro SD card. As long as you are following the rules it is up to your moral standard to notify or not of the activity. Let the lawyers fight it out as what is invasion of privacy.

It is like you driving on the road and your dashcam capturing a hit and run or a shooting incident on one's property.
 
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Hey R-Perry,

Ok let's say, you happen to come across and record either human trafficking, or say even illegal cock-fighting (no pun intended), it is up to the enforcement and judicial side to make that decision to issue our a warrant and so on. Your only risk is loosing that Micro SD card. As long as you are following the rules it is up to your moral standard to notify or not of the activity. Let the lawyers fight it out as what is invasion of privacy.

It is like you driving on the road and your dashcam capturing a hit and run or a shooting incident on one's property.


Well said.

I'll add this (my 2 cents):

With today's society the way it is with extreme paranoia and every attorney looking to find a loophole to get their client off, the odds of a search warrant being issued for a private citizen's drone footage is less than dismal. It shouldn't be this way but it is.
 
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I have a question for you. If I'm flying and notice activity that I believe to be illegal and I notify the authorities, and they obtain a search warrant, could it be argued that the information was obtained due to an invasion of privacy?

Doubtful, unless you coordinated with police in advance you are not acting as an agent of the government. BTW, police will not seek a warrant solely on a citizen's video and no judge will grant it, w/o confirmation by the cops (additional surveillance, etc)

Civil lawsuit? Who knows? This is all new law and precedent is being established as we speak. An important issue in civil court will be whether you intended to surveil the target or it happened incidental in the "course of business." Of course, I'm not an attorney (yuk) only play one on TV.;)
 
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Reason for the question is where I live (Sierra foothills) we have a lot of pot farms (now most legal) but we also have stills, meth labs, all run by the Hells Angels so it someone is going to report a crime, it better be anonymous. Most of the meth labs are located on large acreage so overflying them means normally flying a good distance and they couldn't be observed from a roadway.

Let me make if very clear, I don't mess with the Hell Angles business, EVER! It would be a sure way to shorten ones life. Our law enforcement up here don't even mess with them.

I was wondering if they are using the privacy fourth amendment to beat the charges because many do, and they are then right back in business.
 
Those types of investigations are dealt with at the federal level. Local LEO are likely directed to stand down until or unless needed. The FBI has a vehicle for reporting crimes like this on their web site. I personally wouldn't have these types of conversations about those groups on a forum where I was using my own name, location, etc.
Reason for the question is where I live (Sierra foothills) we have a lot of pot farms (now most legal) but we also have stills, meth labs, all run by the Hells Angels so it someone is going to report a crime, it better be anonymous. Most of the meth labs are located on large acreage so overflying them means normally flying a good distance and they couldn't be observed from a roadway.

Let me make if very clear, I don't mess with the Hell Angles business, EVER! It would be a sure way to shorten ones life. Our law enforcement up here don't even mess with them.

I was wondering if they are using the privacy fourth amendment to beat the charges because many do, and they are then right back in business.
 
Those types of investigations are dealt with at the federal level. Local LEO are likely directed to stand down until or unless needed. The FBI has a vehicle for reporting crimes like this on their web site. I personally wouldn't have these types of conversations about those groups on a forum where I was using my own name, location, etc.
"Those types of investigations are dealt with at the federal level. Local LEO are likely directed to stand down until or unless needed. "
Well, that will come as a shock to the numerous drug task forces of local, county and state agencies....;)
 
Task forces are somewhat different and all of it varies with location. Id wager the definition of "task force" can range from 3-4 officers in a small municipality to multi-team units in larger areas. The HA is largely treated like organized crime...because it is. I'm just going off of his description. Doesnt exactly sound like a couple toothless rednecks with a chemistry set.
"Those types of investigations are dealt with at the federal level. Local LEO are likely directed to stand down until or unless needed. "
Well, that will come as a shock to the numerous drug task forces of local, county and state agencies....;)
 
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As mentioned above many local depts have very well trained and equipped Task Forces for this exact thing. I know for a fact we have a very "active" one here in my area that's very much local. Some of you will be reading/viewing about it on Dateline and some other big network stations in the near future. A band of national bank robbers, kid nappers, and murderers (very very bad people) were taken down right here in NC and by my best friend on the planet. It doesn't get any more local than that even for very well organized crime groups.
 
Those types of investigations are dealt with at the federal level. Local LEO are likely directed to stand down until or unless needed. The FBI has a vehicle for reporting crimes like this on their web site. I personally wouldn't have these types of conversations about those groups on a forum where I was using my own name, location, etc.

As for "conversations about those groups" there is nothing to fear from them as long as you aren't sticking your nose into their business. Everyone around here knows who they are, what they do, and it stops there. If asked if I would overfly one of their properties, the answer would be absolutely not. Your point is well taken though, and no I don't use my real name.
 
As mentioned above many local depts have very well trained and equipped Task Forces for this exact thing. I know for a fact we have a very "active" one here in my area that's very much local. Some of you will be reading/viewing about it on Dateline and some other big network stations in the near future. A band of national bank robbers, kid nappers, and murderers (very very bad people) were taken down right here in NC and by my best friend on the planet. It doesn't get any more local than that even for very well organized crime groups.

Big A, you are fortunate to have that kind of LEO support, we don't. We have one local cop, and one highway patrol person, on duty at any given time, covering a few hundred square miles. The only nice thing about it we don't need to worry about speed limits, oh, and out local cop spends a good portion of his time patrolling the local lakes.
When my wife and I went to get our carry permits we were told that everyone should because there is no way local law enforcement can provide the security needed in our areas.
 
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Big A, you are fortunate to have that kind of LEO support,

I completely agree. Very fortunate and also fortunate that they are "Drone Friendly". In fact I'm going out with them today for an LEO mission.

When my wife and I went to get our carry permits we were told that everyone should because there is no way local law enforcement can provide the security needed in our areas.

That's a good motto and one we use here as well. Last Spring I walked in on someone robbing my mother's home (they ran out the basement as I opened the front door) and it took LEO 35 minutes to get to me. Thank goodness there was no confrontation but had there been it would have been up to me to provide the security and whatever might have come with that. I always suggest calling 9-1-1 but I cover myself first and foremost 24/7.
 
I've never had a confrontation like Big A, and never want to. In our area anyone that isn't a convicted felon can get a carry permit, and I suppose that is good and potentially bad. To me some people have too aggressive personality to be caring. The last thing any sensible person wants to do is shoot someone, but I also don't want to a victim that one reads about in the obituaries. During our training my wife shot the sheriff (playing the bad guy) one time in the side, and four in the head, he gladly gave her the carry permit. The other issue was a woman who could not shoot the aggressor, she didn't get the permit, and rightly so. Those permits carry with them a tremendous responsibility.
 
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