


New Yorkers may want to move their parties indoors this Labor Day weekend.
The NYPD will deploy drones over the holiday to survey large, outdoor gatherings and barbeques that might get too rowdy, police officials said Thursday.
The department’s fleet of unmanned aircraft will scope out noise complaints and other non-emergency or 311 calls before officers arrive.
“We will be able to determine how many resources we need to send to that location for this weekend,” NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said at a news briefing. “And we will be able to determine how many resources we need to send to that location for this weekend.”
Daughtry made the comments during a press briefing on safety measures for the 56th annual West Indian American Day parade and J’Ouvert festival, which is notorious for wildly flying out of control.
The aerial bots will help thousands of officers that will be stationed across the city from Friday through Labor Day to evaluate which complaints are worth further investigating and which need to be prioritized, the department said.
“Now for anyone who thinks they’re gonna come into this community this weekend with bad intentions, we all here stand together and we say not this weekend, nor any other weekends,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell warned at the briefing.
“Our police officers will be diligent, visible and some won’t be visible.”
The NYPD has been increasingly relying on its tactical drones after spending tens of thousands of dollars on the technology, The Post reported earlier this month.
City data shows the department has used drones for public safety or emergency purposes 124 times this year, up from just four times in all of 2022.
Mayor Eric Adams has said he wants to see police further embrace the “endless” potential of drones, citing Israel’s use of the technology as a blueprint after visiting the country last week.
With Post wires