“…in many areas around the country, not only for federal operators, but also for state and local law enforcement and emergency responders in times of crisis.”-Michael C. Kostelnik, retired Air Force general who heads the office that supervises the use of UAVs

It has been revealed that police in North Dakota have been using Predator UAVs since June 2011.  Now three men, who are accused of threatening a sheriff’s life, have become the first U.S. arrest victims of the drone.

It’s already been reported that the FBI and Border Patrol are using drones, but now local police!  Law enforcement officials in North Dakota admit they use them at least twice per month.

The men, supposedly from the same family, that were arrested are suspected of stealing cows.  The Nelson County Sheriff says his life was threatened by the family when he went on their property looking for the cows.  The sheriff responded by calling in an army of police and a Predator drone based at Grand Forks air base (the UAV officially being used by the Border Patrol).

It’s now December 12, the event is just now being reported in the U.S. media. It took place at the end of June!  I wonder if the family has also been accused of being terrorists.  Sure seems like a lot of taxpayer money was spent to arrest suspected cattle rustlers.

The use of UAVs against U.S. citizens caused one member of Congress to resign back in February.  Jane Harman, of California, who sat on the House Homeland Security Intelligence subcommittee from 2007 until she resigned, said no one ever discussed using Predators to help local police.

She also gave a dire warning: “There is no question that this could become something that people will regret.”

Harman’s father is a survivor of the NAZI concentration camps in World War 2.  Harman should know from her father’s first hand accounts what NAZI-land looks like!