Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Belonging To Alabama Police Department A Mystery, Says Gadsden Police Chief

Police chief John Crane of Gadsden, Alabama, said he learned two weeks ago that his department has had unmanned aerial vehicles (not pictured) since 2010.

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) -- An Alabama police chief says he recently discovered that his department has two unmanned aerial vehicles.

Gadsden Police Chief John Crane tells The Gadsden Times he learned two weeks ago the department has had the unmanned aerial vehicles since 2010.

The revelation came to light after the Federal Aviation Administration released a list of agencies certified to fly drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Gadsden Police Department was on the list.

Crane, who was named police chief in February, says he doesn't know why they were purchased. The cost was about $150,000, paid through a federal law enforcement grant.

Crane says the department's UAVs, which have video surveillance capability, haven't been used because there hasn't been a need for them.

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Comments

[DavidNichols]

01:03 PM on 05/25/2012

Arizona has Hundreds of un-manned Drones Spying on "We the People", they have had for over nine years.

These Drones are not being considered, they have been used for years, and I believe there are already 30,000 of them over America now.

They look nothing like the Predator B, they are disguised to look like phony Airliners, and Cargo Jets, with smaller ones disguised as Piper, Cessna, Mooney, V-wings, Bi-wings ect. ect.

They are equiped with un-constitutional High Tech Infra-Red, and Laser Listening Devices, they have been watching, and listening to us inside the very "So Called Privacy of our American Homes".

Our Founding Fathers would have lined the Perverts, Voyeurs, and Peeping Tom Cowards in these programs up in front of a Firing Squad.

Tens of Thousands of "Real American Troops" fought and Died to protect our "Freedom" from Tyrants like these.

We need to remember who we American People are!

We would not allow Russia, or China to Rape our Constitution like this!

Preident Eisenhower said: "An out of control Pentagon is more Dangerous to America than Russian Missiles."

He was a Visionary of Todays out of control Technology being used on America!

To see a couple of these disguised Drones see my U-Tube post: "Un-reported near miss over Arizona."

Thes are both Drones, a phony Southwest Airliner, and a phony Piper Navajo.


To: The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave."

[GaryNOVA]

05:47 PM on 05/02/2012

Soon this will be the case with most major police departments. there are already dozens of agencies that have been greenlighted by the FAA to use unmanned drones. Fairfax County Police in Virginia is now on the ever growing list of agencies approved by the FAA.

They SAY it's for traffic alerts, but in reality police officers know the real reason is that they are cheaper than using a real manned helicopter. And the Helicopter is primarily used (other than medivacs) for locating suspects and missing persons, tracking pursuits, locating evidence, and doing recon for tactical operations.

http://www.officer.com/news/10704645/eye-in-sky-drones-stir-privacy-concerns

[k535panther]

08:55 AM on 05/02/2012

why are two paragraphs printed twice.....HEY!!!! Is anyone working at huffpost...wake up!!

[Rexter]

07:36 AM on 05/02/2012

That federal bucket with all the holes in it is still leaking like a sieve. It is no wonder the country is broke with this kind of waste. I think every police department should have at least a V-22 Osprey and maybe a couple of Apache gunships to help with traffic control.

The militarization of local police departments by the feds is just another insidious step towards ultimate control.

[k535panther]

08:57 AM on 05/02/2012

urban warfare... they are getting ready. A police state is not far off...

[Rexter]

09:34 AM on 05/02/2012

Agreed. The powers that be want to remain just that and will take the necessary steps to ensure they remain in power. This government is really no different than any other in history. When at odds with the people they will use control/force. The elite or ruling class wants to maintain the status quo. Big money oil, pharma, MIC, etc. rule this country by proxy (politicians). That is why in 40 years we have no national energy policy, fight unfunded wars for financial gains, war on drugs, and so on - status quo (spending).

[eric14]

10:41 AM on 05/02/2012

Control? You think all that stuff will be kept in working order? You think it will be manned and data collected analysed? No. It's all just fixation on using tech to solve social problems.

[Rexter]

03:50 PM on 05/02/2012

We all get to pay for it just the same. The spending is out-of-control! Military drones for Alabama cops, come on!

[jhnnxn]

03:34 AM on 05/02/2012

It's like the tank in Keene NH. It was stimulus money burning a hole in the dept's pocket.

[k535panther]

08:57 AM on 05/02/2012

I know, thats a good one....

[Caymus77]

07:56 PM on 05/01/2012

Police states need to keep tabs on the people.

[robertr2m]

07:20 PM on 05/01/2012

If anyone is interested, here is a list of the current drone permits disclosed by the FAA

https://www.eff.org/document/faa-list-certificates-authorizations-coas.

[26195]

11:37 PM on 05/01/2012

The link has already been 'blocked'

[robertr2m]

01:45 AM on 05/02/2012

I think I messed it up on the cut/paste... here's a different page with actually more information. Thanks for the heads up :)

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/04/faa-releases-its-list-drone-certificates-leaves-many-questions-unanswered

[robertr2m]

06:59 PM on 05/01/2012

I wonder if there was a map or one that could be out together, of all the grants given to purchase equipment like this as well as the "tanks" we've read about in other HuffPo articles. A master list is what I'm getting at.

Reason being, you could see what towns are receiving these and what the geographical location is and compare them to terrain, highway infrastructure, closest military base, etc.

Is this equipment being seeded throughout the country? And if so, why?

[WideAwake2]

05:38 PM on 05/01/2012

Notice the man avoided nearly all talk about what these drones are really for--to spy on the American people! And a Federal Corporation grant, is still coming out of TAXPAYERS pockets, like everything else. SO, we are paying for own big brother spy gear. Bravo. And no surprise there, like all the other programs, known and unknown that the American people are subjected too--like military testing of all kinds on the unsuspecting public, Chem trails and so forth...we pay for own demise... Tell the sheriff to send this crap back, just like all the traffic camera's...why people do you even allow this crap!

[k535panther]

09:04 AM on 05/02/2012

Because we have been fooled into believing it's for the fight against terrorism and for our safety. Our fears have been used to prey on us. Fear and religion are the oldest forms of control, and we keep giving up control daily. There is nothing you can do and nowhere you can go, without being caught on camera. Accept the fact that big brother is here and has been here for quite some time now, and it wiill not be reversed, it is way to entrenched now. The last piece of the puzzle is the voter id card which is really the national id card in guise. Get ready people, the time has arrived... WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS!!!!

[Robert Goetz]

05:29 PM on 05/01/2012

"Griffon Aerospace" located in Huntsville, Ala. I bet has something to do with this.

[NC Democrat 12]

05:26 PM on 05/01/2012

I guess those folks are worried that a wave of terrorists will come through their community. After all, Gadsden Alabama ranks high on Al Qaedas must visit list.

[The Man on the street]

05:09 PM on 05/01/2012

They have it 'cause it's the only way the Crimson Tide will beat the Tennessee Volunteers!!

[majornutt2]

06:42 PM on 05/01/2012

Well, you must not be talking football, this year will be 6 strait

2011/10/22 Alabama 37 - Tennessee 6 W
2010/10/23 Alabama 41 - Tennessee 10 W
2009/10/24 Alabama 12 - Tennessee 10 W
2008/10/25 Alabama 29 - Tennessee 9 W
2007/10/20 Alabama 41 - Tennessee 17 W

[robertr2m]

07:00 PM on 05/01/2012

Roll Tide Roll!!!

[sabresk8ter]

05:09 PM on 05/01/2012

Have if Alabama has a drone I know a nice town in upstate New York (population 6) that doesn't need a drone too! At least now we know where else our hard earned taxs are going to

[guilatty]

04:46 PM on 05/01/2012

This is the result of all that crazed post 9/11 spending. The public is numb to government boondoggles at this point, but if some enterprising journalist ever showed the public the total flush of money down the law enforcement drain post 9/11 it would shock people. The Bush Administration threw money around like water for "security" projects from the stupid to the inexplicable.

In my small city we had two KingAirs, several armored personnel carriers, three helicopters, and numerous other pieces of war materiel. We put reinforced concrete bunkers in front of our rural courthouse (since removed and landfilled), hired numerous "anti-terrorism" experts in our rural county, and spent thousands on window tint to "help" with controlling glass from bomb-shattered windows. Silly boondoggles all.

[The Man on the street]

05:11 PM on 05/01/2012

Why didn't the (proto)Teabaggers in your local govt - you know, the folks soooooo concerned about Federal over-spending - why didn't they refuse & return the money?

[k535panther]

09:07 AM on 05/02/2012

Because everyone loves to recieve money, especially when they see it as a windfall... or free..

[J0E1]

04:43 PM on 05/01/2012

Crane, who was named police chief in February, says he doesn't know why they were purchased. The cost was about $150,000, paid through a federal law enforcement grant.

I suggest everyone read this aloud to themselves and then ask the question:  Why aren't there more Ron Paul supporters?