Drones Should Be Taken Down, There’s Refusal to Do So Even When They Go Out to Sea

On CNN's “Outfront” broadcast Thursday, Mayor Michael Melham of Belleville, N.J., said drones across the state need to be removed, adding, “The Coast Guard is working with us, the New Jersey State Police. There was a briefing session.” A helicopter spotted them. We asked, “Are you going to shoot them down when they go out to sea?” And we were also told that the drone would not be removed for fear of what might be on it.

While discussing the briefing session with the state, [relevant remarks begin around 37:25] Mr Melham said: “These drones have to fly out of the sky. And I think here in New Jersey, and especially in the United States, we have the ability to fly drones out of the sky if we want to. During the briefing, these drones… I hear it's flying over critical infrastructure: as I mentioned in the beginning, nuclear power plants, reservoirs, Picatinny Arsenal, Fort Dix, President Trump's Bedminster. …Yet they say there is no credible threat. But they also say they don't want us to take them out of the sky. I also say no.”

He added:[W]We were told that the Coast Guard was working with the New Jersey State Police and that a helicopter had spotted them. We asked, “Are you going to shoot them down when they go out to sea?” No, I'm not going to shoot you down. Why not? We're told, “Well, we don't know.” There may be a payload. They might have this, they might have that. …Drones should be shot down. ”