Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), a candidate for Jersey City mayor, says that drones “pose a serious threat to public safety and security” and is therefore urging Gov. Phil Murphy (D) to take action immediately.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“As a Commissioner of Hudson County, I am deeply concerned about the recent #dronesightings in our airspace, particularly in Jersey City, given the close proximity to Newark Airport. These unauthorized drones not only pose a serious threat to public safety and security but also create significant risks to air traffic, potentially leading to dangerous situations,” O’Dea wrote on X last night.
“I urge @GovMurphy to act swiftly and decisively to address this issue before it escalates further. In the meantime, I have directed the Hudson County Office of Emergency Services to collaborate closely with local law enforcement agencies to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of our residents. Protecting our communities and preventing potential harm is our top priority, and we must take immediate action to safeguard the well-being of all residents.”
On Friday morning, Murphy posted a copy of a letter he sent to President Joe Biden (D), indicating that this is a federal matter that needs to be taken seriously.
“I respectfully urge you to continue to direct the federal agencies involved to work together until they uncover answers as to what is behind the UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) sightings,” he wrote to the president.
“I have directed New Jersey State Police and our Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) to assist them in any capacity.”
On Saturday afternoon, U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) said in a thread on X that many drone sighting in Hunterdon County were “almost certainly planes,” based on civilian aviators and public flight tracking tools.
Additionally, a joint statement from the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday said their was no national security or public safety threat.
“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus,” they began.
“The FBI, DHS and our federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.”
They further stated that reported drones have often been “manned aircrafts or facilities” in the past.
