“For residents we spoke to,” Wired wrote, “the discrepancy raises serious concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the department's transparency efforts—and experts say the use of the drones is a classic case of self-perpetuating mission creep, with their existence both justifying and necessitating their use.”

While some might take for granted that the government is not allowed to conduct surveillance — intentional, incidental, or otherwise — on you in spaces like your fenced-in backyard, this is not always the case. It took a lawsuit and a recent Alaska Supreme Court decision to ensure that police in that state must obtain a warrant for drone surveillance in otherwise private areas. While some states do require a warrant to use a drone to violate the privacy of a person’s airspace, Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Vermont are currently the only states where courts have held that warrantless aerial surveillance violates residents’ constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure absent specific exceptions.

In its recent report, Civil Rights Implications of Face Recognition Technology (FRT), the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights identified serious problems with the federal government’s use of face recognition technology, and in doing so recognized EFF’s expertise on this issue. The Commission focused its investigation on the Department of...

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Police DFR programs involve a fleet of drones, which can range in number from four or five to hundreds. In response to 911 calls and other law enforcement calls for service, a camera-equipped drone is launched from a regular base (like the police station roof) to get to the incident first, giving responding officers a view of the scene before they arrive. In theory and in marketing materials, the advance view from the drone will help officers understand the situation more thoroughly before they get there, better preparing them for the scene and assisting them in things such as locating wanted or missing individuals more quickly. Police call this “situational awareness.”

Today in the news there is a lot of controversy about the use of Stun Guns and Advanced Tasers. How much do you know about Tasers? Have you considered whether this versatile option is the right self defense tool for you? Do you think that Tasers are more ideal for police verses the Glock 9mm? This article will help educate you on the important facts of Taser use and help you to decide if a Taser can help keep you safe, brought to you by The new Advanced Taser M-18 series has almost 100% effectiveness rating. It combines the injury reducing benefits of traditional stun technology with a quantum leap in stopping power via new Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD) technology. In police studies, the new Advanced Taser has a higher instant incapacitation rate than a 9mm hand gun. The Advanced Taser shoots out 2 darts attached to 15 feet of wire. 50,000 volts travel over the wires and over-rides the central nervous system providing incredible take down power. NEW Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD) TechnologyThere are two categories of energy weapons: Stun weapons and EMD weapons. STUN WEAPONS: Traditional stun technology weapons operate in a 7-14 Watt range and interfere with the communication signals within the nervous system of the target. These stun systems primarily effect the sensory nervous system. Like static on the communication lines between the brain and the body, stun systems interfere with the human command and control systems. However, a small percentage of people with a very high tolerance for electrical stimulation can fight through the effect of these 7-14 Watt systems. EMD WEAPONS: EMD weapons use a more powerful 18 to 26 Watt electrical signal to completely override the central nervous system and directly control the skeletal muscles. This EMD effect causes an uncontrollable contraction of the muscle tissue, allowing the M-Series to physically debilitate a target regardless of pain tolerance or mental focus. The ADVANCED TASER M-Series are EMD weapons -- specifically designed to stop even the most elite, aggressive, focused combatants. Rather than simply interfering with communication between the brain and muscles, the ADVANCED TASER EMD systems directly tell the muscles what to do: contract until the target is in the fetal position on the ground.How the TASER® M18L works:Arming and firing the TASER® M18L is an almost instinctive motion which can be easily accomplished without even looking down. You can practice by doing it without a cartridge in the weapon. Firing the weapon without a cartridge will light the laser sight and arc high voltage sparks across the front of the barrel like an ordinary stun gun. You can also test fire the TASER® with a cartridge in the barrel by aiming at a piece of aluminum foil attached to a wall from a distance of up to 15 feet. The TASER® M18L comes with 4 cartridges for that purpose. Each cartridge fires only once. Never practice on another person. The TASER® is a very serious weapon. There is a safety lever on both sides of the weapon for easy thumb release by both right and left-handed persons. The safety will not accidentally disengage in a pocket or purse under normal circumstances. The safety action and trigger action is simple and instinctive. Releasing the safety also simultaneously activates the laser sight. The laser sight increases the deterrence value of the weapon since an attacker's reaction might be to turn and run when they see the laser sight pointed at them. Most important is that the laser sight virtually insures you won't miss. The cartridge fires once and both projectiles must hit the subject's body or clothing. The projectiles have barbed hooks that embed themselves in clothing or under the skin about 1/2 inch. These projectiles must sometimes be surgically removed. As a short-range weapon, the maximum range is 15 feet. Both projectiles must hit, and the projectiles spread out somewhat as the distance to the subject increases. Therefore accuracy is greater at a distance of 5 to 10 feet. Fire from a safe distance, but remember that the closer you are, the less likely you are to miss. The TASER® is a single-shot weapon. The cartridge must be replaced after firing in order to fire again at a distance. However if you do miss, or if there is a second attacker, the TASER® will continue to function on contact like an ordinary stun gun, even if you do not have time to replace or remove the spent cartridge. The TASER® M18 and M18L (L is the laser sight model) will bring down an attacker 99 times out of a hundred. It is an extremely rugged and dependable weapon. It is identical in design principle to what law enforcement uses. It is designed to work only on humans, not on animals. An ordinary stun gun works on the principle of inflicting pain on the attacker. Some attackers are able to overcome high voltage pain, so ordinary stun guns are ineffective on subjects high on PCP, Meth or other drugs. The TASER® works on an entirely different high-tech principle. It does not rely on pain as a deterrent. It uses a scientifically advanced principle of "Electro Muscular Disruption" (EMD) that interrupts the body's ability to control it's muscles. Therefore the TASER® will bring down an attacker 99 times out of a hundred and keep them down for at least 2 or 3 minutes and usually 5 minutes or more. Dimensions are 8" long with the cartridge in place and 5 1/2" high. Weight is 1 lb with batteries in place. The TASER® M18 and M18L come only in black and look like the serious weapons they are. You can purchase these at You don't need any permits to carry it!TASER is not considered a firearm - they're legal to carry in most states without permits (including California). The TASER is prohibited from citizen use in IL, MA, RI, NY, NJ, WI, MI, HI and certain cities and counties. Legal, but with restrictions in CT, FL, IN, NC, ND, OH and WA. For stun gun laws in your state, please visit Here is what people have to say:"Finally, the most Effective, Easy to Use, Less-Lethal Self Defense Product for Civilians. You can take down someone bigger and stronger than you instantly!" This product can save your life! "I've been a police officer for 24 years and I have never seen anything better that gets people to comply quicker." - Sgt. David FulenwiderFulenwider coordinates the TASER program for deputies in the Jefferson County Jail. Less-lethal self-defense has recently been taken to a whole new level - the TASER energy weapon. Police departments throughout the United States are starting to deploy TASER energy weapons for their duty officers. It has been proven that TASER weapons are far more effective than any other self-defense weapon on the market today. "We've found it's been much more effective than the other less-lethal options we have available to us." - Sgt Mike RyanTactical Team StaffOttawa Police Department Here are some frequently asked questions about the Taser M18 and M18L:How can the TASER system be so effective yet be generally safe?TASER technology does not depend upon impact or body penetration to achieve its effect. Its pulsating electrical output interferes with communication between the brain and the muscular system, resulting in loss of muscular control. The electrical pulse from TASER devices It over stimulates the nerves that control muscle movement it affects them in their natural mode. The TASER is like a remote control that takes away the ability of the target to control his own body - but it does so with minimum violence or injury because it uses a communication mechanism rather than relying on physical injury. Does the TASER device affect the heart or a cardiac pacemaker?The electrical output from TASER devices is well below the levels required to cause cardiac arrest, or to physically damage an implantable cardiac device.Isn't high voltage lethal?High voltage, in itself, is not dangerous. One can receive a 25,000-volt shock of static electricity from a doorknob on a dry day without harm. The physiological effect of electrical shock is determined by: the current, its duration, and the power source that produces the shock. The typical household current of 110 volts is dangerous because it can pump many amperes of current throughout the body indefinitely. Remember that the household wall outlet is connected to massive power plants with virtually unlimited power output capability. By contrast, the ADVANCED TASER power supply consists of 8 AA alkaline batteries capable of supplying 26 watts of electrical power for a few seconds.What are the aftereffects?A person hit with a TASER device will usually fall to the ground and may feel dazed for several seconds. Generally, recovery is fast and the effects stop the very instant that the M18 TASER device shuts off. Some will experience critical response amnesia and others will experience tingling sensations afterwards. The pulsating electrical output causes involuntary muscle contractions and a resulting sense of vertigo. It can momentarily stun or render immobilized. Some individuals have experienced athletic type injuries and injuries from falls. Although designed to maximize safety, the TASER is not risk free and should not be used lightly.Must the probes penetrate the body to be effective?No. The electrical current will 'jump' up to 2 inches as long as both probes are attached to clothing or skin. At most, only the 3/8-inch needlepoint will penetrate the skin. Both probes need to be within a cumulative 2 inches of the body to stop an attacker (e.g. if one probe is touching, the other can be up to 2 inches away, or each probe can be one inch away - the total spark distance is a maximum of 2 inches for both probes together). Basically, no matter where you strike the attacker, both probes have to be within 2' of the body cumulative (think of the probes being away from the body), not 2' away from each other. This was the reason the TASER is 50,000 volts; if someone is wearing a thick jacket the current and the T wave will still 'jump' to the subject. What if the probes miss?The TASER system can work if one probe hits a human and the second falls on grass or dirt as the power may connect through the ground. However, the results depreciate substantially if the second probe lands on concrete, asphalt or not all on wood floors. If the probes miss, the M18 TASER device can be used in a touch-stun mode by aggressively touching the front of the device to the target. The user is thus provided with two backups. A secondary Cartridge holder is available that holds a backup cartridge below the TASER's handgrip. A final backup if the probes miss the target is the touch stun feature. Should the user miss or engage a second attacker, the ADVANCED TASER device can applied directly to the target and it will work like a powerful touch-stun device. What is the best-shot at maximum range?As long as the spread of the probes is at least four inches, the TASER device should be extremely effective. To ensure that the spread is greater than four inches, the ADVANCED TASER should be fired at a target several feet away. The optimum shot is from seven to ten feet away form the target to achieve maximum effect using a 15-foot cartridge. Although the TASER has been found to have a high degree of effectiveness, it is not a 'magic bullet.' You should always have a backup plan and be prepared to use the touch-stun capability in case you miss the target or do not get both probes within the required 2-inch cumulative arc limitation.To purchase the TASER, please visit You can get more for your money!All TASER M-18 models come with the following items: Ã?â‚??1 - M-18 ADVANCED TASER or 1 - M-18L ADVANCED TASER w/ integrated laser sightÃ?â‚??1 - Hard Carry Case (not a holster)Ã?â‚??1 - Practice TargetÃ?â‚??2 - Air Cartridges (value $60) for TASER M-18Ã?â‚??4 - Air Cartridges (value $120) for TASER M-18LTASER M-18 and TASER M-18L SpecificationsÃ?â‚??Power output: 50,000V 18 Watts, 1.76 Joules per pulse energy (5-second automatic timing cycle per discharge)Ã?â‚??Power input: 12 VDC: 4-6 AÃ?â‚??Power supply: 8 AA Duracell Ultra Alkaline batteries or Energizer Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable AA batteries, self contained inside polyethylene battery tray, with reverse insertion prevention feature.Ã?â‚??Aiming mechanisms: Fixed front and rear 'fin and blade' sights, 650 Nanometer wavelength, daytime laser sight (optimized at 13 foot range).Ã?â‚??Weight: 18ozÃ?â‚??Housing: 7.5'L x 5.5H' x 1.3W' (inches).Ã?â‚??Safety levers: Ambidextrous Ã?â‚??Battery indicator: High visibility red LED calibrated for alkaline batteries.Ã?â‚??Laser lens Material: Optically clear polycarbonate (for M-18L only)Ã?â‚??Yellow coloration kit: Left and right side yellow polycarbonate decals with P.S.A. that adheres to sides of the weapon, in order to mark it as less- lethal.For TASER M-18For TASER M-18LRegular Price (MSRP): $399.95Regular Price (MSRP): $599.95Plus Free Shipping Now!Plus Free Shipping Now! ADVANCED TASER M-18 and M-18L ADVANCED TASER M18 with 2 Air Cartridges$399.95 ADVANCED TASER M18-L with Integrated Laser Sight, and 4 Air Cartridges$599.95 ADVANCED TASER HOLSTER--available right or left handed$99.00 2 pack of Air Cartridges. Reload your ADVANCED TASER in less then a second with replacement Air Cartridges. Price shown is for two cartridges.$59.95 2 pack of Air Cartridges. Reload your ADVANCED TASER in less then a second with replacement Air Cartridges. Price shown is for two cartridges.$29.95Don't delay. Your safety is Priceless! Protect yourself at For more questions and for ordering information, please email at info@protection-power.com or call 1.877.608.7949.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which handles all prosecutions in the Seattle area, has instructed police in no uncertain terms: do not use AI to write police reports...for now. This is a good development. We hope prosecutors across the country will exercise such caution as companies continue to...

California law enforcement should take note: the state’s Attorney General has issued a new bulletin advising them on how to comply with AB 481—a state law that regulates how law enforcement agencies can use, purchase, and disclose information about military equipment at their disposal. This important guidance comes...

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Because the application of the TASER device in the drive-stun mode (i.e., direct contact without probes) relies primarily on pain compliance, the use of the ...

Drones are also increasingly tied into other forms of surveillance. More departments — including those in Las Vegas, Louisville, and New York City — are toying with the idea of dispatching drones in response to ShotSpotter gunshot detection alerts, which are known to send many false positive alerts. This could lead to drone surveillance of communities that happen to have a higher concentration of ShotSpotter microphones or other acoustic gunshot detection technology. Data revealed recently shows that a disproportionate number of these gunshot detection sensors  are located in Black communities in the United States. Also, artificial intelligence is also being added to drone data collection; connecting what's gathered from the sky to what has been gathered on the street and through other methods is a trending part of the police panopticon plan.

The Federal Trade Commission has entered a settlement with self-styled “weapon detection” company Evolv, to resolve the FTC’s claim that the company “knowingly” and repeatedly” engaged in “unlawful” acts of misleading claims about their technology. Essentially, Evolv’s technology, which is in schools, subways, and stadiums, does far less...

Transparency around the acquisition and use of drones will be important to the effort to protect civilians from government and police overreach and abuse as agencies commission more of these flying machines. A recent Wired investigation raised concerns about Chula Vista’s program, finding that roughly one in 10 drone flights lacked a stated purpose, and for nearly 500 of its recent flights, the reason for deployment was an “unknown problem.” That same investigation also found that each average drone flight exposes nearly 5,000 city residents to enhanced surveillance, primarily in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods.

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DFR programs have been growing in popularity since first launched by the Chula Vista Police Department in 2018. Now there are a few dozen departments with known DFR programs among the approximately 1,500 police departments known to have any drone program at all, according to EFF’s Atlas of Surveillance, the most comprehensive dataset of this kind of information. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates use of drones and is currently mandated to prepare new regulations for how they can be operated beyond the operator’s line of sight (BVLOS), the kind of long-distance flight that currently requires a special waiver. All the while, police departments and the companies that sell drones are eager to move forward with more DFR initiatives.

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Artificial intelligence dominated the technology talk on panels, among sponsors, and across the trade floor at this year’s annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).IACP, held Oct. 19 - 22 in Boston, brings together thousands of police employees with the businesses who want to sell them...

Law enforcement wants more drones, and we’ll probably see many more of them overhead as police departments seek to implement a popular project justifying the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): the “drone as first responder” (DFR).

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by LE Mehl · 1992 · Cited by 71 — The Taser (Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle) is an electronic immobilization and defense weapon that has been commercially available since 1974. The Taser was ...

Clear policies around the use of drones are a valuable part of holding police departments accountable for their drone use. These policies must include rules around why a drone is deployed and guardrails on the kind of footage that is collected, the length of time it is retained, and with whom it can be shared.

The post was written by Laura Vidal (PhD), independent researcher in learning and digital rights.This is part two of a series. Part one on surveillance and control around the July election is here.Over the past decade, the government in Venezuela has meticulously constructed a framework of surveillance...

Chula Vista's "Drone-Related Activity Dashboard" indicates that more than 20 percent of drone flights are welfare checks or mental health crises, while only roughly 6% are responding to assault calls. Chula Vista Police claim that the DFR program lets them avoid potentially dangerous or deadly interactions with members of the public, with drone responses resulting in their department avoiding sending a patrol unit in response to 4,303 calls. However, this theory and the supporting data needs to be meaningfully evaluated by independent researchers.

With their birds-eye view, drones can observe individuals in previously private and constitutionally protected spaces, like their backyards, roofs, and even through home windows. And they can capture crowds of people, like protestors and other peaceful gatherers exercising their First Amendment rights. Drones can be equipped with cameras, thermal imaging, microphones, license plate readers, face recognition, mapping technology, cell-site simulators, weapons, and other payloads. Proliferation of these devices enables state surveillance even for routine operations and in response to innocuous calls —situations unrelated to the original concerns of terrorism or violent crime originally used to justify their adoption.

202496 — The Early Concepts of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) · The First Military Drones: Early 20th Century. During World War I, drone development ...

DFR programs are just one way police are acquiring drones, but law enforcement and UAV manufacturers are interested in adding drones in other ways, including as part of regular patrols and in response to high-speed vehicle pursuits. These uses also create the risk of law enforcement bypassing important safeguards.  Reasonable protections for public privacy, like robust use policies, are not a barrier to public safety but a crucial part of ensuring just and constitutional policing.

Law Enforcement & Investigation. The Justice & Public Safety Division offers accredited academic and customized training programs in law enforcement studies, ...

Law enforcement drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by police departments to observe and monitor areas from the air. They are equipped with cameras, ...

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TASER X26P, X2 and the new TASER 7 Instructor certification course – With the release of Version 21, we have reformatted the Instructor course to teach students ...

In practice, law enforcement's desire to get “a view of the scene” becomes a justification for over-surveilling neighborhoods that produce more 911 calls and for collecting information on anyone who happens to be in the drone’s path. For example, a drone responding to a vandalism case may capture video footage of everyone it passes along the way. Also, drones are subject to the same mission-creep issues that already plague other police tools designed to record the public; what is pitched as a solution to violent crime can quickly become a tool for policing homelessness or low-level infractions that otherwise wouldn't merit police resources.

It’s clear that as the skies open up for more drone usage, law enforcement will push to procure more of these flying surveillance tools. But police and lawmakers must exercise far more skepticism over what may ultimately prove to be a flashy trend that wastes resources, infringes on people's rights, and results in unforeseen shifts in policing strategy. The public must be kept aware of how cops are coming for their privacy from above.

Companies are eager to tap this growing market. Police technology company Axon —known for its Tasers and body-worn cameras — recently acquired drone company Dedrone, specifically citing that company’s efforts to push DFR programs as one reason for the acquisition. Axon since has established a partnership with Skydio in order to expand their DFR sales.

TASER X2 Cartridge Two Pack Compatible with the TASER X2 Defender - 15\' replacement cartridges - Each cartridge contains a primer, gas capsule, probes, ...

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The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into our criminal justice system is one of the most worrying developments across policing and the courts, and EFF has been tracking it for years. EFF recently contributed a chapter on AI’s use by law enforcement to the American Bar Association’s annual publication, ...

This type of analysis is not possible without transparency around the program in Chula Vista, which, to its credit, publishes regular details like the location and reason for each of its deployments. Still, that department has also tried to prevent the public from learning about its program, rejecting California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests for drone footage. This led to a lawsuit in which EFF submitted an amicus brief, and ultimately the California Court of Appeal correctly found that drone footage is not exempt from CPRA requests.

This post was written by Gowri Nayar, an EFF legal intern. Imagine driving to get your nails done with your family and all of a sudden, you are pulled over by police officers for allegedly driving a stolen car. You are dragged out of the car and detained at gun...