Imagine looking up at the sky to see several car-sized drones flying above your town. In mid-November, law enforcement saw several drones in the sky at night in northern New Jersey. The drones in New Jersey have now made their way to Kinnelon. But these drones aren’t just ordinary drones you flew as a kid.
Since the drone sightings, citizens like KHS students have asked questions like, “Should I be concerned for my safety?” or “Why are these drones here?” Kinnelon Officer Caputo informs KHS students about the drones.
Many KHS students have been concerned for their safety since the sightings. Freshman Sophia Moussa often sees drones fly over her house. “They come around my house at 6:30 at night and are out for a long time after that. I would see two every five to ten minutes. Some of them were high up, and some of them were lower.” Moussa says, “The drones scare me because nobody knows where they are coming from.”
Other students at KHS are concerned about the drone activity. Freshman Joseph Canariato has witnessed these drones, too. “It’s just a blob in the sky that doesn’t move for hours and hours, and it’s pretty creepy. It’s suspicious that they only fly in the dark. It mentally gets me concerned because I fear for the safety of not only me and my family but the whole community, too.”
According to officials, eyewitnesses, and videos on social media, these unknown drones are confirmed to be “up to six feet in diameter” and “can go from emitting eerie lights to no light at all and often avoid detection. “ The purpose of the drones and where they come from are unknown.
The public has not been informed of drones’ purpose. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) held an FAQ regarding the public’s drone concerns. Residents of New Jersey have been up in arms about their lack of knowledge and why the public has not been educated about this event. NJOHSP confirms an ongoing federal investigation, but “currently, all investigative information is classified as law enforcement sensitive, and we would defer questions regarding the investigation to the FBI.”
Officer Steve Caputo of Kinnelon shares what he knows about the action being taken regarding the drone activity. “Regarding the investigation(s) into the drone activity, I can only report that several agencies are looking into the activity, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, to name a few.”
Caputo, who has seen reports of the drones, is concerned about the disruption the drones have caused. Drone activity at Stewart Airport in New York caused airport runways to shut down for an hour. “Most concerning was the report about Stewart Airport in Orange County New York which had to shut down all airplane traffic due to the presence of drones. Other obvious concerns would include personal privacy-related issues because drones can be equipped with cameras, allowing drone operators to videotape areas they wouldn’t legally have access to.” Caputo says.
The drones in the New Jersey/New York area have made residents go to the extent of attempting to shoot them down. While feeling uneasy about the drones, it is essential to remember that the FBI has it under control. Trying to take it down by yourself is a safety concern. This issue has come to Caputo’s attention. “The FBI has urged residents to avoid taking matters into their own hands. They advised further that if a drone is located on the ground, the resident shouldn’t approach it and contact the FBI immediately.”
Caputo encourages anyone with further information on drone activity to call the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI) or submit information online at https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
