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The Oakland Police Department has announced the release of a

May 15, 2018 by Devin Jones

The Oakland Police Department has announced the release of a report detailing the ongoing surveillance efforts, including the use of drones that were released to drones near the city, and that the officers will begin to take "extraordinary measures to detect and mitigate these potentially deadly events." The report notes:

While we believe that the deployment of the police drones to patrol the streets of Oakland is a necessary step in achieving our city's shared goal of reducing crime, we also believe that it is important to ensure that our community is protected. Since the last year, we have been the focus of a public-private partnership that is providing funding for public safety and outreach. Although we do not know any specific program in place to monitor the use of drones, the police department has taken the following actions.

"We are conducting surveillance at a rate of approximately two and a half a day. At this time, we are also investigating reports of excessive force and other incidents that may be related to our use of drones," said Sgt. David Varela of the Oakland Police Department. "We are also using the drones to record traffic stops, stop signs for arrests, and surveillance of our community from the inside and outside the park. We plan to continue to provide these services as we learn more about the ongoing surveillance program."

In the meantime, Oakland residents are reminded to exercise caution when they travel between city parks, and to take the following precautions:

Follow local traffic signs out of the way and use the following signs to avoid collisions with the public:

Make sure they are marked in the park as well:

Use a light, especially large ones, when parked in the park.

Do not take off your hand as you pass by traffic signs.

Do not drop your phone or any other device while riding in the park.

Do not use your cellphone while riding in the park.

Do not drive in the park during the day, unless you are wearing a seat belt.

If you have a vehicle outside the park and you are a passenger in it, be sure to have a "safe" vehicle on the road and on the road if possible. If you are not wearing a seat belt or if you cannot use your phone while riding in the park, you may not be able to use it.