Latest news with #Balko
The Intercept
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Intercept
A Trumped Up Police State Is Coming
Support Us © THE INTERCEPT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Photo collage: The Intercept / Photo: KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images Donald Trump's all-caps executive order on policing — 'STRENGTHENING AND UNLEASHING AMERICA'S LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PURSUE CRIMINALS AND PROTECT INNOCENT CITIZENS' – is less about policy and more about intent. And that intent is clear: To give Trump direct control over local law enforcement and further shield police from accountability. As journalist and author of 'Rise of the Warrior Cop' Radley Balko puts it, 'It's a statement of intent and whether or not Trump is able to do a lot of the more pernicious and unconstitutional things he wants to do.' The executive order calls for 'military and national security assets' to assist in local policing, directs federal resources and protections for state and local law enforcement, and enhances police protections, among other proclamations. But it reflects a deeper ambition. 'He wants more federal militarized law enforcement under his thumb instead of under the thumb of governors or mayors,' says Balko. 'He wants to use them to help with immigration deportations. He wants help with cracking down on protest.' And the concern and fear, says Balko, is that Trump will also 'use law enforcement to go after his critics and people he perceives to be his enemies.' This week on The Intercept Briefing, Balko joins senior reporter Akela Lacy and host Jessica Washington to break down the Trump administration's push to federalize local law enforcement and 'unleash' police who already face minimal meaningful restraint. 'We're really getting to the point where law enforcement officers have almost no accountability at all,' says Balko, who writes the newsletter The Watch. He adds, 'All of this is based on a premise that isn't true, which is that we're in some sort of massive crime wave that's been sweeping the country.' The fearmongering, Lacy notes, is that cities run by Democrats — San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Baltimore — are dangerous. But as Balko points out, 'When [Trump] took office for the first time he had actually inherited the lowest crime rate of any president since like Eisenhower. And [he] was the first president in 40 years to leave office with a higher homicide rate than when he entered it.' While crime spiked during the pandemic under Trump, Balko continues, 'Under Biden it started going down over the last two years of [his] administration and it continues to go down.' 'The narrative,' Lacy adds, 'is extremely detached from reality.' But that narrative serves to justify a sweeping law-and-order agenda. 'The vision is for police to respond to everything,' says Lacy. It's a vision for a militarized police force with no accountability under the discretion of the president that 'they can deploy to enforce any and every part of their agenda beyond criminal issues, and then further criminalize participation in the public's sphere and exercise of constitutional rights.' Read our complete coverage Over the last few months, Balko adds, the federal government has increasingly used masked, unidentified agents to snatch people off the streets — not for violent crimes, but for political speech, protests, and civil offenses 'in a deliberate effort to evade judicial review.' 'They're snatching people off the street and taking them to an overseas prison that's more like a gulag and imposing on them what's effectively a life sentence with no due process,' Balko continues. 'No habeas corpus, no judicial review whatsoever. These are very classic characteristics of a police state.' Listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Join The Conversation
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Balko Technologies Enters into Agreement with Draganfly for Integration of Advanced Modular LiDAR Drone Solutions; Multiple Orders Placed
Tampa, FL, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) ('Draganfly' or the 'Company'), an industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, is pleased to have been selected as the primary UAS provider by Balko Technologies, an industry-leading company specializing in the design and manufacture of high-performance LiDAR payloads and post-processing software. This announcement follows the integration and testing of Balko LiDAR products on the Draganfly Commander 3XL and Apex UAS, providing Balko customers with a suite of modular LiDAR and Drone platforms supporting a wide variety of performance requirements, budgets, and operating scenarios. Under this agreement, Balko becomes an official distributor of Draganfly's products throughout North America, expanding access to cutting-edge drone technology for industrial, energy, and environmental monitoring applications. Since signing the agreement, multiple customers have issued purchase orders for the Draganfly Commander 3XL to be paired with Balko's innovative modular Connectiv LiDAR sensor with one delivery completed in Q1. 'Draganfly's mission has always been to deliver world-class UAV solutions tailored to critical applications,' said Cameron Chell, President and CEO of Draganfly. 'Partnering with Balko enhances our ability to provide customers with advanced aerial mapping and data collection tools, leveraging Balko's robust LiDAR payloads to further our reach across North America.' 'We're excited to be working with Draganfly, a company that shares our commitment to innovation and reliability,' said Maude Pelletier, President of Balko Technologies. 'Our LiDAR systems are built for performance and precision, and when paired with Draganfly's drone platforms, we can unlock even greater capabilities for our shared clients.' About Balko Technologies Founded in 2021 and based in Quebec, Canada, Balko Technologies specializes in developing and manufacturing modular LiDAR systems for drones. Their flagship product, the Connectiv sensor, is designed to be versatile and fully configurable—allowing users to interchange lasers, inertial navigation systems (INS), and cameras to adapt to specific project requirements across industries. Backed by a team of seasoned experts with decades of combined experience in geospatial technologies, product and software engineering, Balko combines the agility of a startup with deep industry knowledge. Balko's mission is to democratize geospatial data collection by offering flexible, cutting-edge tools that empower professionals across a wide range of applications. For more information on Balko, visit About Draganfly Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8A) is a pioneer in drone solutions, AI-driven software, and robotics. With over 25 years of innovation, Draganfly has been at the forefront of drone technology, providing solutions for public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying. The Company is committed to delivering efficient, reliable, and industry-leading technology that helps organizations save time, money, and lives. For more information, visit For investor details, visit: CSE FRANKFURT Media Contact Company Contact Forward-Looking Statements This release contains certain 'forward looking statements' and certain 'forward-looking information' as defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'may', 'will', 'expect', 'intend', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'believe', 'continue', 'plans' or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the fact that partnering with Balko enhances Draganfly's ability to provide customers with advanced aerial mapping and data collection tools, leveraging Balko's robust LiDAR payloads to further our reach across North America. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company's business, operations and financial condition; the successful integration of technology; the inherent risks involved in the general securities markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of cost estimates; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, currency fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, competition, loss of key employees and other related risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in the Company's most recent filings filed with securities regulators in Canada on the SEDAR website at and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC') on EDGAR through the SEC's website at The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents managements' best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
86-Year-Old Grandfather Found Dead in Ohio Lake Where He Liked to Feed Birds
An 86-year-old grandfather has been found dead in an Ohio lake where authorities say he liked to feed birds. The Lakemore Fire Department said in a Facebook post that they were dispatched on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at around 4:30 p.m. local time to Springfield Lake due to reports of a drowning of an elderly man at the location. The arriving fire department crew worked with Lakemore Police and the South Summit Dive Team to locate the man but it was 'quickly determined that operations would shift from rescue to recovery," authorities said. 'The Summit County Medical Examiner responded to the scene and took jurisdiction of the body,' Lakemore Fire said in their statement. The incident is under investigation by police and the medical examiner's office. Related: 73-Year-Old Man Dies in Fall from Sixth Floor Window While Escaping Home Invaders: Police 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim,' Lakemore Fire added. The 86-year-old man was eventually identified by the medical examiner's office as Theodore Balko, according to Fox affiliate WJW-TV and Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Summit County Medical Examiner determined that Balko's death was accidental or the result of something medical in nature, reported. Lakemore Police Sgt. Rich Morrison told the outlet that Balko's death was ruled a drowning, but it was also possible he suffered from some kind of medical emergency that caused him to fall into the lake, which bordered his property. Related: Hat Leads Officials to Find Body of Missing 76-Year-Old Man, Who Died After Fall from California Cliff 'It looks like he was [walking near] the edge of the water,' Morrison said. 'There was nothing suspicious; this was an unfortunate event.' A police sergeant told WJW-TV that Balko fed the birds near the lake in his backyard daily. It remains unclear though if Balko was feeding the animals when the incident unfolded. Balko was an Air Force veteran who worked for Goodyear Aerospace for nearly 40 years, according to his obituary. He was a husband, father and grandfather who 'enjoyed fishing.' He is survived by his son, four grandchildren and sisters. PEOPLE reached out to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office and the Lakemore Police Department on Tuesday, Jan. 25. Read the original article on People
