By Stephen Appezzato
SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Local, state and federal officials are calling on the federal government for greater transparency and support regarding the mysterious drone sightings that have puzzled New Jersey residents for weeks.
This past weekend, law enforcement and political leaders from Monmouth and Ocean counties gathered at a press conference in Seaside Heights to update the public on the ongoing drone phenomenon and to demand federal action.
“On the large number of drones flying through New Jersey and elsewhere, that have so far evaded identification, origin, mission, or potential threat to Americans, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas shockingly said this week, ‘We haven’t seen anything unusual. We know of no threat,’ ” said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4). “Is he kidding?” Smith asked, calling the statement an insult to the public’s intelligence.
“For weeks, we’ve asked for the truth and action to mitigate any and all threats to people and property. Now, we are demanding it,” Smith said.
Since the first reports of drone sightings began around Nov. 18, the FBI has received more than 5,000 reports of unidentified flying objects, most in New Jersey. Federal officials investigating the reports maintain there is no clear evidence of a threat or foreign involvement at this time.
Smith, who led the press conference, said he recently contacted the commanding officer at Naval Weapons Station Earle, learning military personnel at the base have also observed the drones. On Dec. 12, a public affairs officer at the base confirmed at least two instances of an unidentified drone entering the airspace above the base but reiterated that no direct threats to the installation were identified.
“The elusive maneuvering of these drones suggests a level of sophistication that could point to a major military power, raising the question of whether they’ve been deployed to test our defense capabilities, or worse – by violent dictatorships, such as Russia, China, Iran or North Korea. They have the capability, and they certainly have the motive,” Smith said.
At the press conference, Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy joined Smith to speak on the issue from a law enforcement perspective.
“Our own military personnel, from two different locations – Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle – along with numerous first responders and public safety officials, have identified these objects in the air. For Washington to dismiss these issues and claim they are just planes is not good enough,” said Golden.
In recent weeks, local and state law enforcement have carefully documented and investigated the drone sightings, sharing their findings with the FBI. While much remains unknown, both sheriffs emphasized the need for greater federal support and stronger legislation to address the issue.
“We need our legislation to keep pace with the use of drones. It hasn’t. The FAA and the federal government control the airways and drone operations as they stand today,” Golden said, joining others in calling for Congress to pass laws that would give state police more authority to address drone threats.
“State policing unit across the country will need new technology to detect drones – whether recreational or commercial – and new laws to help them disable drones,” Golden said.
As drone technology expands, particularly with the rise of commercial services like drone deliveries by Amazon and Walmart, Golden noted that current laws are insufficient to keep up with these developments.
On Dec. 17, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense issued a joint statement reporting the sightings so far include a mix of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, law enforcement drones and manned aircraft like planes and helicopters. The statement added that nothing anomalous has been identified and denied any national security or public safety risk at this time.
However, the agencies vowed to continue supporting state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and urged Congress to pass comprehensive counter-UAS legislation. Smith also expressed his commitment to introducing a bill to empower state police to manage drone-related incidents.
Despite the joint statement and other reassurances, many on social media remain skeptical of the federal government’s position, but Golden cautioned the public against attempting to disable drones by shooting at them.
“A discharge of firearms in these areas would violate many state and federal laws,” he warned.
Residents are still encouraged to report sightings to their local police department’s non-emergency lines or the FBI’s tip hotline, particularly if they observe clusters of drones. Golden also advised checking flight radar before reporting to help reduce mistaken identity cases (the website flightaware.com shows real-time flight traffic). Many reports of drones have turned out to be planes and helicopters.
If residents witness a drone crash or see a drone fall from the sky, they are advised to call 911 immediately.
The article originally appeared in the December 19 – December 25, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
