Overwhelming Opposition Hits Oregon Bill Allowing Police to Use Drones for Surveillance
Six public protection organizations and 471 written testimonies have relayed a clear message to lawmakers – Oregonians are opposed to sanctioning the use of drones for surveillance by law enforcement agencies.
A public hearing held yesterday to gather input on Senate Bill 238A revealed that 95% of the testimony opposed the bill, citing it as an unwelcome invasion of privacy. Of 302 verbal testimonies, 282 were against the proposed legislation.
Six Organizations Opposing the Use of Drones
The organizations opposing the introduction of the proposed legislation are Don’t Shoot PDX, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon, the Oregon Justice Resource Center, the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Latino Policy Council, and Centro Cultural.
They argue that the bill unfairly affects communities that are targets for law enforcement scrutiny and amounts to an assault on civil rights.
Law Enforcement Backs the Senate Bill
Lawmakers heard evidence from the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police. The Portland Police Bureau Chief Robert Day believes drones will enhance efficiency.
The Springfield Police Department’s criminal intelligence analyst, Brian Austin, said that any infringements of privacy posed by drones are outweighed by immeasurable improvements to public safety.
Senate Bill 238A, carried by Senator Floyd Prozanski, faced opposition from three Republican senators. In comparison, three Democrat senators and one Republican lawmaker were excused from voting.
Two Democrats and one Republican representative voted against the bill in the House.
An amendment to the bill was proposed on Tuesday to allow the use of drones in response to 911 calls, search and rescue operations, and public safety emergencies.
The amendment also limits general surveillance operations and data retention, aiming to restrict use while protecting constitutional rights.