The NYPD is prepared to take down any unauthorized drones flying over the upcoming US Open in New York City – marking the first event nationwide where local law enforcement has that independent authority, Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Friday.
“I am pleased to announce today that the NYPD now has new independent legal authority to conduct drone mitigation operations at major events when necessary to address unauthorized drone activity,” the top cop said.
This new power was the result of the federal Safer Skies Act, which was passed by Congress in December and went into effect in July, the top cop said.
“This will be the first major event where the NYPD uses this new authority,” Tisch added, “and it will be the first event in the country where state or local law enforcement conducts independent drone mitigation operations.”
The department will use its “own people, our own tools, our own equipment” to electronically neutralize any drones flying over the lavish tennis tourney, according to Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism.
“We now do what the federal government has been doing, which is traditionally an electronic counter drone mitigation,” Weiner said.
“And mitigation is one of the several tools that we use to protect against unauthorized drones. There will be a federal temporary flight restriction as well over this facility and that allows us to take counter measures.”
That ability marks a significant change from this summer’s World Cup, when the NYPD worked alongside the feds – the only ones with the authority to take down the drones, Tisch said.
There are no “specific, credible threats” to the final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season, but Tisch said the NYPD “will remain vigilant, and always there will be security measures that you will see and others that you will not see.”
The 146th annual tennis championship will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, drawing more than 300 players and 1.2 million spectators to Queens between Aug. 23 and Sept. 13.
NYPD cops will patrol the tournament grounds 24 hours a day beginning on Sunday – a week earlier than in the past, Tisch said.
Concrete barriers will be installed along the perimeter of the Citi Field-adjacent grounds, and more than 100 light towers will be erected across the complex, Tisch said.
All attendees will be screened thoroughly before entering the tournament grounds, she added.
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