New Jersey drone sightings prompt local law enforcement to step up surveillance
MONMOUTH COUNTY, N.J. -- Mystery drone sightings continue to baffle New Jersey residents, government officials, and law enforcement.
After a briefing by the feds, many mayors still have questions.
"We have no evidence at this time that reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus," White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said.
What Ocean, Monmouth counties are doing about drones
On Thursday, CBS News New York went behind the scenes down the shore to where two county sheriffs are reacting.
The Ocean County Sheriff's Department's drone unit is trying to crack the mystery that has been plaguing the Garden State for several weeks.
"Look for them, see what we could find, surveil them and hopefully find out where they are coming from," Sgt. Kevin Fennessy said.
The team shot video of an unknown drone flying over Brick Township last weekend. Fennessy said it disappeared the minute the camera zoomed in on it.
"It kind of stopped, did like a 180, and went back a little bit and did a very wide turn around us," Fennessy said.
The drone the sheriff's officers are using have propelled wings. The ones New Jersey residents have been seeing over past several weeks have fixed wings like airplanes.
"Right now, our short-term goal is to locate one and find out where it's going to," Fennessy said.
Ocean County Sheriff Michale Mastronardy said a call came in over the weekend from an unknown officer watching a mass of drones come in off of Island Beach State Park.
"We have a sworn law enforcement official who was able to document with body camera of these drones coming off the coast, numerous ones, over 50," Mastronardy said.
At the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office, they are tracking drone sightings in real time with a heat map.
Sheriff Shaun Golden said there been nonstop drone sightings, including at Naval Weapons Station Earle.
He's pushing for federal help.
"Whether that's a state of emergency here in the state for a couple of days or temporary flight restrictions so some helicopter controls or the like can get a better picture of what's going in the skies or activating the Air Guard for patrol," Golden said.
Local authorities currently limited in their recourse to drones
Local authorities cannot jam or shoot down a drone. In the case of the ones hovering over the state, officials say most can't be detected by radar.
New Jersey Republican Congressman Chris Smith said he will be introducing a bill on Monday that will give local authorities more resources and power to deal with drones.
