Police union urges Congress to give state and local law enforcement authority for counter-drone measures

The National Fraternal Order of Police, one of the nation’s largest police unions, urged Congress on Wednesday to give state and local law enforcement more authority to stop criminal drone activity, warning that gaps in federal law are putting communities at risk. The organization said federal rules have not kept pace with how quickly drones are being deployed, leaving local agencies without the authority or tools they need to respond.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Patrick Yoes, the organization’s president, called on lawmakers to include “robust counter unmanned-aircraft systems” in the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes funding levels each year and provides authorities for the military and other critical defense priorities. (For fiscal year 2025, the NDAA supports $895.2 billion in funding for national defense, according to a report by the Senate Committee on Armed Forces.)

“State and local law enforcement require unequivocal legal authority to detect, track, identify, and intercept drones that endanger lives, infrastructure, public safety, and national security,” the letter reads, urging lawmakers to act before a major drone-related incident forces change after the fact. “It is past time to rectify this critical vulnerability.”

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