Senate Judiciary Hears Urgent Plea on Drone Threats
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary and American Correctional Association Ricky Dixon addresses the Senate Judiciary Committee to deliver warning of the urgent need for mitigation authority in corrections. Photo Credit: US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, courtesy of CLA.
By Kat Balster
WASHINGTON —In a full Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday May 20, Florida Department of Corrections Secretary and American Correctional Association (ACA) President Ricky D. Dixon delivered a stark warning: Drones are becoming increasingly complex tools for organized crime, and correctional systems are ill-equipped to defend against them.
The hearing, Defending Against Drones: Setting Safeguards for Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Authorities, featured a panel of experts from law enforcement and legal fields. While the testimony was wide ranging, Dixon’s statements stood out for their urgency and focus on correctional facilities across the U.S.
“These drones are no longer just a nuisance, they are sophisticated weapons for organized crime,” Dixon said. “We do not have the tools or the legal authority to stop them.”
Dixon emphasized that drones dropping contraband such as fentanyl, weapons and cellphones have directly contributed to overdose deaths and violence. These incursions also trigger repeated lockdowns that disrupt rehabilitative programming, education and drug treatment, undermining efforts that have been supported by Congress.
The topic of drones has been a pressing one in the corrections industry, receiving additional focus this year. At the ACA Winter Conference, there was a demonstration of anti-drone technology deployed by AirSight and Echodyne as well as a discussion on Operation Skyhawk in Georgia, which was detailed in the March/April edition of Correctional News. Corrections professionals nationwide have grown increasingly alarmed by the speed and ease with which drones can bypass perimeter defenses. Dixon reiterated these concerns in his testimony, describing how this system leaves facilities defenseless under current federal law.
“It’s only a matter of time before a firearm is dropped in by drone, synchronized with cellphones for a coordinated attack,” he warned.
Dixon’s testimony aligns with the Judiciary Committee’s stated goal of expanding counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) authorities to approved state and local entities while preserving constitutional rights. Committee Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley noted that existing authorities granted to the Department of Justice and Homeland Security have been extended eight times since 2018 but have left out correctional agencies and local law enforcement.
During the hearing, committee members, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn, voiced strong support for expanding that authority. Blackburn cited incidents in Tennessee involving armed drones, reinforcing the urgency of taking action. Dixon and other panelists, including Sergeant Robert Dooley, of the Florida Highway Patrol, called for a federal regulatory framework that enables trained correctional staff to deploy drone detection and mitigation technology without fear of violating federal law.
“The technology is there to do everything we need to do; it’s the legal authority we lack,” Dixon stated. “We need congressional language that allows us to utilize the tools.”
Moving forward, the committee is expected to use the hearing to shape bipartisan legislation. There have been multiple measures introduced across both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Legislation such as the cell phone jamming reform act, though not related directly to drones, has implied connection for those familiar with the industry, as it is often illegal cell phones that coordinate drops (and are dispersed by drones as well).
Dixon’s call for scalable solutions beyond pilot programs represents corrections stakeholders that are pressing for swift legislative action.
As Correctional News has previously explored, the push for drone countermeasures is not just a technology issue, but also a matter of safety for staff, program continuity and community protection.