People-Tracking Drones and the Portland Police Bureau
From the Organizers:
City governments and police everywhere use drones -- to help fight fires, monitor bridge equipment, or respond to critical incidents. But drones have their dark sides, and their potential for invasive over-surveillance and harmful privacy impacts is profound.
Portland City Council voted unanimously in September to expand Portland Police Bureau’s drone program. Join Portland Investigative Journalist and Researcher Kate Kaye to learn about Portland Police Bureau’s drones, what these flying devices can do, how police have actually used them, and what city policy addressing drones and other surveillance tech does – and does not do. Kate will also share how you can help conduct similar research, and we'll have lots of time for your questions.
Did you know:
- Portland Police Bureau drone use has increased drastically - rising from between six and 18 times each month from June 2023 through October 2024 to more than 40 times in November 2024.
- Some of Portland Police Bureau’s drones include cameras that can zoom-in on people and vehicles and track them from a far-off distance.
- In many cases, PPB’s drones have been flown in neighborhoods where more people of color live and where poverty rates are higher than in other parts of the city and in Portland as a whole.
- Portland Police have flown drones inside a family’s apartment and to monitor or search for people, including juveniles.
- PPB’s gun violence unit has patrolled neighborhoods in unmarked vehicles equipped with drones ready to deploy.
This meeting is co-hosted by Portland's TA3M and PDX Privacy. Please RSVP for the event by the Meet Up page linked here:
When:
Monday, January 27
6 pm - 7 pm PT
Where:
Online
This event is organized not by EFF, but by PDX Privacy and Portland TA3M —grassroots groups participating in the Electronic Frontier Alliance. The EFA is a network of grassroots organizations across the country committed to promoting digital rights. Together, we're building a movement to promote freedom of expression, privacy, security, creativity, and access to knowledge.
