It should be mentioned prior that the current law governing Minneapolis clearly says that those who sunbathe at the popular lakeside beach in Golden Valley area should not go nude or topless. However, the method the local police utilized to maximize patrol is being put into perspective by many observers. Namely, the usage of drones is being debated on its adequacy. The Golden Valley Police Department used the high-tech devices on July 10, after reports and complaints from local residents made the police to take action on the Lake-goers. “This stuff has been going on there for decades,” she said. “When the police are called to the park it’s because someone has complained.” The vista was called by many who frequent the area as “a safe place to just be comfortable.” Actions needed to be made, according to city officials.
Police Sgt. Randy Mahlen said in a media interview that the usage of such drones “would be no different than a surveillance camera in a public place for a high-crime area.
” Golden Valley also answered queries following the said controversy in their website statement: “Drone footage is accessible only to very few staff within the department and is only used for documentation, evidence collection, and prosecution if needed,” the statement said.
“Police staff are trained in data privacy and maintaining confidentiality. By law, people in public spaces have no expectation of privacy from being recorded by security devices.”
According to eyewitness accounts, the drones were in much different usages and terms: “The two or three Black people that were super visible on the beach, [officers] went straight for them,” one eyewitness said.
The police presence was “outrageous,” witness Jacob Carrigan said on Facebook.
“The City reviewed drone footage and went to the beach to collect personal information from those who appeared to be violating the law,” Golden Valley officials said in the statement. “At the beach, the police collected information from eight individuals to determine if citations should be issued for various infractions.
Of the eight individuals observed violating the law that police were able to obtain information from, two were people of color.” The Golden Valley statement also said the city “strongly condemns racism and discrimination” and “works to make its community a welcoming and respectful place for all.
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Replaced!