NYPD using drones to check out noisy backyard parties over Labor Day weekend

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Richard Newstead)

The New York City Police Department said it will use drones to check out backyard parties when neighbors call to complain about large crowds this weekend.

"The drones are going to be responding to non-priority calls and priority calls," NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said at a press conference yesterday. "For example, if we have any 311 calls on our non-emergency line where if a caller states there's a large crowd, a large party in the backyard, we're going to be utilizing our assets to go up, to go check on the party, to make sure if the call is founded or not, and we'll be able to determine how many resources we need to send to that location for this weekend. So we will have our drone teams out there starting tonight, all the way into Monday morning."

Daughtry spoke near the end of a press conference (see video) about safety and security measures for J'Ouvert, a "traditional street festival honoring the vast heritage and culture of the Caribbean diaspora," and the West Indian Day Parade.