NOPD responds to drone program concerns
The short version: WWLTV reports NOPD leadership defending expanded drone policy changes after public pushback, insisting residents had a say — a claim worth scrutinizing.
Our Take
Credit to WWLTV for pressing New Orleans police on why its drone policy shifted and who actually got a voice in that process. Supt. Anne Kirkpatrick's line that the department sought public input is the kind of claim that always deserves a second look. "Public input" often means a sparsely attended meeting or a comment box nobody knew existed, not genuine community consent to fly cameras over people's backyards.
This is the same playbook we've watched with Flock Safety's ALPR rollout nationwide: a department quietly expands its surveillance toolkit, then points to a vague engagement process when residents object. Drones and license plate readers are different technologies, but they're part of the same trend — police agencies normalizing constant automated monitoring while transparency lags behind the hardware.
New Orleans already has a complicated surveillance history, so any expansion of drone authority deserves real oversight, not a press conference. If you want to see how ALPR surveillance is spreading in your own city, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back on unchecked expansion, our take-action page has next steps.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WWLTV, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.