Indigenous residents in the NSW town of Moree say they do not want to be the test case for police drones.
For the past nine months, drones have been hovering over the skyline of Moree, in north-west NSW.
Speaking in February when police went public with details of the trial, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon assured the community that "this is not about surveillance, it is about responding to crime".
Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research showed crime was already on the decline in Moree when the drones were introduced and had continued to fall since.
The ABC asked NSW Police for details about how often the drones had been deployed but was told that information would only be provided if a GIPA request was approved.
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How
Summarized version
The number of young people charged with a crime in Moree has fallen significantly in recent years — from 240 in 2022–23 to 113 in 2025–26. In August's budget estimates, Ms Catley said an evaluation of the trial was being completed by police. "We don't have all the evidence."
Headline check
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Indigenous residents in the NSW town of Moree say they do not want to be the test case for police drones.
An NSW Police drone trial is underway in the town and has been extended from six months to two years.
Community members and the national human rights commissioner are calling for an evaluation of the trial to be made public.
For the past nine months, drones have been hovering over the skyline of Moree, in north-west NSW.
With an unwanted reputation as a hot spot for youth crime, the town was chosen as the site for an NSW Police drone trial.
Speaking in February when police went public with details of the trial, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon assured the community that "this is not about surveillance, it is about responding to crime".
Mr Brown is the Head of Advocacy and Engagement for Just Reinvest NSW, an organisation that aims to reduce interactions with the criminal justice system for First Nations people.
The NSW government recently announced the trial would be extended from the initial six months to two years.
Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research showed crime was already on the decline in Moree when the drones were introduced and had continued to fall since.
BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said it was impossible to accurately assess the impact of the drones at this stage.
The ABC asked NSW Police for details about how often the drones had been deployed but was told that information would only be provided if a GIPA request was approved.
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