Post

So much for free markets.

Maybe they can just police with the resources they have and not feel the need to buy more invasive surveillance equipment.

In what fucking world do cops rely on drones

Or the stuff they steal via asset forfeiture (which should be unconstitutional).

Cash strapped police? Really?

NPR groping for an audience that doesn’t exist here during Fall Pledge Drive Season. They are *lost* lost.

NPR is so disappointing these days @npr.org

Norm-MacDonald-Everyone-Should-Die.gif

I'll save my tears.

Ah yes, the well known police state of [checks notes] Ocean County, New Jersey. 🙄

America, where free market only means if Americans build it,even if its 10x the cost and 1/2 as good......FREEDOM

Trump will buy them from Russia then.

Hahahaaha, let em struggle. Last thing we need is more drones and surveillance in the hands of the police. We've all seen what they do with ALPRs.

Oooh nooo! How will they ever get by without drones? Those poor wretches…

“Cash strapped… that rely on drones” Y’all some 👢 👅

🎯🎯🎯 You know they are going to get their hands on some of those electric gloves as well.

Exactly!

Yep, because that worked so well for Microsoft.

Hello, NPR? Yes, I’d like to stop my Public Broadcasting TV contribution subscription just so I can make a police donation to get them additional surveillance drones and flock cameras… >>> SAID NO ONE, EVER! 🙄

I, for one, am disgusted enough by the bootlicking, but downright shocked that they didn't bother to interview a single person who is critical of police surveillance tech. The result reads like PR, not journalism.

The government needs to focus on ending the dominance of low-quality, high-cost criminal politicians from the billionaire class with micro penis.

What kind of right wing horse shit is this, NPR?

This is some bullshit framing. Do better, NPR.

You ask for donations and then you write stories like this??? This is why my house stopped donating to you after the 2016 elections.

Ohhhhhhhh nooooo not the poor overfunded police forces :(

Police shouldn't rely on drones at all. The only time drones are a reasonable measure is reducing the risk of pursuit and tracking of a fugitive that is a danger to the general public.  In other words, as an alternative to a high speed police chase.

Cash-strapped police forces, do you hear yourselves

police don't need drones

Also, what's so wrong with buying Chinese-made anything? Why is buying "American" so fucking important? We USED to have some of the best manufactured goods in the world. Not anymore. The rich got greedy and stopped using quality parts, shipped all their jobs overseas, and still stuck the label on it

What ever happened to good ol' police work? Walk the beat. Get to know the people you're supposed to "protect and serve." They don't do that anymore. All they do is spy on citizens who are doing whatever they can to survive. No flock, no drones, no spying. Body cameras on cops. That's it.

Yes, the US government and FCC call Chinese drones such a threat to US security they allowed the existing fleet of Chinese drones purchased before the FCC put the drones on the covered list.

There are no consumer replacements that are used for mapping, inspections and photography either. The only financing is for military use with no spill over for other uses.

☝🏾☝️☝🏼

If only they were using it to protect their communities instead of Ice

(Laughs in DJI)

NPR you are shallow. to use a newspaper like yours to fear monger about China while encouraging militarized police is so empty of character and sincerity

The budget for US police forces exceeds $120 billion… an amount larger than the entire national military budgets of 150± countries worldwide (out of ~190 independent nations) US police funding is more than the ENTIRE MILITARY of 82% of the nations on Earth. "Cash-strapped"… wow, NPR. Do better.

I’m sure there’s absolutely no relation to the Trump sons’ investment in drone companies: dronexl.co/2026/03/13/t...

GOOD

These scumbag government funded gangs are anything but cash strapped, some of the technology they can afford, some countries militaries can't even fucking dream of

Cash strapped. The budget for police in most communities is the biggest item.