Monmouth County Sheriff Criticizes FAA Over Mysterious Drone Operations

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden slammed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Tuesday night regarding their handling of hundreds of mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey and New York during November and December. The criticism comes as the White House has now acknowledged these flights were partially authorized FAA research operations.

Lack of Transparency Sparked Public Fear

“Residents of New Jersey were subjected to weeks of fear and uncertainty, with no clear communication or explanation at the time,” said Golden. “For the FAA to now claim this was for ‘research’ shows a complete disregard for the TRUST and safety of our communities.”

The unexplained drone activity created widespread panic and fear, according to Golden, leading to significant public concern and requiring substantial law enforcement resources.

“It created unnecessary anxiety. It led to a waste of taxpayer resources to track and chase down suspicious reports,” the sheriff stated.

Multi-Agency Investigation

The situation reached such a critical point that on November 26, the FBI launched an investigation to identify who was operating the drones. In a subsequent development, FBI officials testified before Congress on December 10, admitting they had no information about who was responsible for the mysterious aircraft.

Following the FBI’s testimony, New Jersey State Police held an emergency briefing with town mayors across the state. During this time, State Police reported observing drones at least six feet wide operating in swarms of 50, raising significant security concerns.

White House Explanations Draw More Questions

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that some of the drones were FAA-authorized “for research” and emphasized that “this was not the enemy.” However, this explanation has prompted additional scrutiny, particularly from state officials.

Monmouth County Republican Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn raised pointed questions about the timing and transparency of this admission:

“If the drones were authorized by the FAA for research, what was that research? And why didn’t the Biden administration just say so last month?”

Earlier Assessment Revealed Mixed Activity

A previous statement from the White House and U.S. Department of Homeland Security on December 16 had offered a broader explanation, noting that:

“the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones.”

This assessment was echoed in recent statements from Trump’s press secretary, who noted that:

“many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.”

Call for Improved Communication

In response to these events, Sheriff Golden has called on Congress to implement requirements for better communication between the FAA and state and local law enforcement regarding drone operations. The sheriff emphasized that the lack of transparency from federal authorities caused unnecessary strain on local resources and heightened public anxiety.

The incident has highlighted significant gaps in communication protocols between federal aviation authorities and local law enforcement agencies regarding authorized drone operations in their jurisdictions.