We strongly object to the Minneapolis Police Department's proposal to purchase and use Drones. 

The Minneapolis Police department:

• is currently under investigation by both the MN department of Human Rights and the US Department of Justice for violations of civil rights.
• Has shown it cannot be trusted to protect the rights of Minneapolis residents and routinely flouts local and state law. This is not the time to give them access to a powerful new technology. Especially with no strings attached and no public oversight mechanism. 

Drones often possess highly advanced surveillance capabilities, with some versions equipped with cameras that can scan entire cities, or alternatively, zoom in and read a milk carton from 60,000 feet.

• While drones may have some legitimate use cases, they drastically shift the balance of power between the public and law enforcement, and pose a serious threat to our essential human rights to privacy, peaceful protests and free speech.  

Given the MPDs history and the technologies potential for abuse, we urge the Mayor and the Council to halt the process of MPD acquiring drones until such time as the city has in place a comprehensive oversight framework for regulating all surveillance and military technology. 

[SNS coalition and partners will be advocating at Mpls Council public hearing: ----Wed Aug 24th 1:30pm----]

Brought by,

Safety Not Surveillance

Partners

CAIR MN

Black Visions 

TakeAction 

CUAPB

Restore the Fourth Minnesota

Center For Victims of Torture 

Asian American Organizing Project 

ISAIAH

Legal Rights Center 

 

 

[PHOTO CREDIT: EFF.ORG]