Latest news with #Chell
Axios
4 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Cops, cartels and the new drone wars on the border
On the U.S. side of the southern border, local law enforcement officials have begun using AI-programmed drones to locate drug traffickers and migrants. On the Mexico side, drug cartels are using their own drones to stake out desert areas in the U.S. to smuggle their products. Why it matters: The U.S. government — whose own patrol drones help create what it calls a "virtual wall" — has long fueled the tech war along the border. But now even small local agencies are stepping into this arms race against cartels and illegal immigration. The big picture: The drone wars are unfolding even as migrant traffic has dropped to its lowest levels in decades. They're being driven in part by staffing shortages in police and sheriff's departments, as well as cuts in federal aid that have limited traditional patrols. Local agencies in Arizona, for example, have begun using drones to investigate a range of headaches: illegal dumping, methamphetamine labs operating off isolated, rural roads, and rescuing migrants or hikers in the scorching desert. The number of U.S. law enforcement agencies using drones has jumped 150% since 2018, according to a report released this year. Most use them as "first responders" to emergencies to assess scenes. Zoom in: The sheriff's office in Arizona's Cochise County — which shares 84 miles of its border with Mexico — recently announced it's launching a drone pilot program powered by Canadian drone-maker Draganfly, whose UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are used by groups in Ukraine to detect landmines. In the border city of Laredo, Texas, police said earlier this month they'll deploy BRINC Drones to help them respond to emergencies within seconds. Sunland Park, N.M., near El Paso, is already using drones to help its fire and police departments rescue stranded migrants and hikers on Mount Cristo Rey, and those struggling to cross the Rio Grande. The Texas National Guard and New Mexico State Police also are using drones. How they work: Unlike commercial consumer drones, the high-tech police drones can fly for hours, collect data using AI, recreate crash scenes in minutes and direct deputies and officers to scenes using GPS. Cochise County's AI-enhanced quadcopters, for example, have thermal imaging for search-and-rescue and nighttime operations, and to locate potential cartel traffic in the border county's 6,200 square miles. Laredo's drones will be able to follow car chases, find out if a domestic violence suspect is armed before police arrive and even drop off Narcan to help someone counter an opioid overdose. What they're saying: "Cochise County wanted surveillance tied to their AI system to understand what's happening in all those remote areas of the border," Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell told Axios. Chell said the county also wanted a drone that could provide close air support for their personnel, deliver equipment and help catch or locate suspects. "You can secure your border in a much more effective way than trying to rush a bunch of people around to spots where nobody's going to be anymore." The intrigue: Some drones can monitor anything from ground-penetrating radar to air quality and can measure a person's heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level from 500 meters away, Chell said. State of play: The local drone race comes as suspected cartels in Mexico are flying thousands of drones over U.S. territory, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials say. Steven Willoughby, deputy director of DHS's counter-drone program, told a U.S. Senate committee last month that cartel drones made more than 27,000 flights within 500 meters of the southern border during the last six months of 2024. They're "flying between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., when the cover of darkness can obscure illicit activity," Willoughby testified. He said the drones can fly for more than 45 minutes, reach more than 100 mph and carry more than 100 pounds. Some drones operated by cartels have dropped explosives on rival factions in Mexico, Willoughby said, although no such actions have been reported on the U.S. side.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A paid-for trip to talk immigration with Dr. Phil sparks questions about NYPD's John Chell
NEW YORK — John Chell, the NYPD's top uniformed cop, had at least $1,000 in travel expenses covered by Dr. Phil last year to participate in an interview with the conservative TV personality — an example of how the powerful police official has become a mainstay of right-wing media, according to records reviewed by the Daily News. Chell, a key ally to Mayor Eric Adams who was at the time the department's chief of patrol, took the trip to Texas in March 2024 to do an interview with Dr. Phil about New York's 'migrant crime wave.' The intersection of migrants and crime is a key talking point of President Trump's administration as it pursues an aggressive deportation agenda, and Chell's comped Texas trip came at a time he was emerging as a regular on Trump-boosting news shows, raising concerns about him mixing policing with partisan politics. In addition to Dr. Phil's shows, Chell has regularly appeared on Newsmax, a pro-Trump outlet, and Fox News. Wearing full uniform, Chell appeared on Newsmax from inside Madison Square Garden during Trump's October 2024 campaign outlet at the arena. Last year, The News reported that Chell — before being promoted to become the NYPD's chief of department — was even considering quitting public service to join Newsmax as a paid political commentator. Since then, Chell has bolstered ties with Trump, including golfing with the president at his New Jersey club last month, while also attracting scrutiny from city oversight agencies over some of his political activities. Chell, a registered independent voter, didn't violate rules or laws by having his Texas tab picked up by Dr. Phil. Chell also regularly appears on media outlets seen as less partisan, including local and national TV stations. Still, Manhattan Councilwoman Gale Brewer, a Democrat who's the chairwoman of the Council's Oversight Committee, argued Chell appearing on overtly pro-Trump outlets takes on a potentially problematic political overtone. 'It could be a problem to go on quasi news channels that are very conservative and Trump-oriented because it doesn't look great for the police department,' said Brewer, whose committee has oversight to probe the NYPD. 'But it is not illegal as far as I can tell.' Ken Frydman, a longtime New York media consultant who has worked for several of the NYPD's labor unions, agreed with Brewer, calling Chell's Dr. Phil appearance 'not only bad optics' but also 'inappropriate.' Senior police officials like Chell, Frydman added, shouldn't engage in activities that could be construed as 'public political positions' as that could send a signal that the NYPD as a whole is partisan. Details about Chell's Texas trip were included in his 2024 financial disclosure, provided to The News this month by the city Conflicts of Interest Board. The document shows Dr. Phil, a vocal Trump supporter whose real name is Phil McGraw, paid between $1,000 and $5,000 on 'travel & lodging' for the chief. The disclosure, which only offers a range as opposed to an exact dollar figure, says the trip had a 'city-related' purpose, meaning Chell's travel was considered an official government activity. Adams' office has routinely said the city pays for expenditures related to official activities municipal employees engage in. But an NYPD spokesperson noted the City Charter allows for officials to accept travel costs as a gift when 'the trip is for a City purpose and therefore could properly be paid for with City funds.' 'The purpose of the trip was to exchange views regarding policing in America, including discussion regarding the challenges facing New York City amid the migrant crisis,' said the spokesperson, who didn't provide the exact cost of Chell's accommodations and airfare. Earlier this year, the Department of Investigation determined that Chell violated NYPD guidelines by using his official social media accounts to go after political critics online, a finding that came after Chell had planned to deliver remarks at a Republican club meeting in Queens. Then, earlier this month, it emerged the Department of Investigation has separately started looking into a complaint alleging Chell misused police resources by bringing his security detail along with him as he traveled to his Trump golf outing last month. That complaint was filed by Rev. Kevin McCall, a Brooklyn civil rights activist and pastor. In response to Dr. Phil paying for Chell's Texas trip, McCall said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch should 'get a hold of this media monger.' 'This is an insult to every New Yorker who expects NYPD to be a public institution not a personal brand platform,' McCall said. 'John Chell is being allowed to run rogue.' Since Chell's Texas trip, Dr. Phil has grown increasingly close with Adams and his administration. Last month, the New York Times reported Dr. Phil introduced Adams to Tom Homan, Trump's 'border czar,' who then proceeded to coordinate with administration officials on deportation raids that were called off by Tisch amid concerns they would have violated local sanctuary laws. Recently, Dr. Phil's TV network also signed a deal with Adams' office to do a documentary called 'Behind the Badge,' which is expected to highlight the work of the NYPD, specifically focusing on Chell and Kaz Daughtry, Adams' deputy mayor for public safety. Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak declined this month to share a copy of the Dr. Phil contract. _____
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Yahoo
Two seriously injured as violence breaks out in 'targeted' incident
Police are investigating after two men were badly hurt in a violent incident on a Stoke-on-Trent street this morning. The two men are in hospital being treated for serious injuries after what is believed to be a "targeted incident." Officers were called to Barber Road, in the Chell area, at 9.20am today, Saturday, June 28. Read more: Murder probe after 'beautiful' mum found dead in Birmingham home One suffered a laceration to his leg and self-presented at hospital. He is in a stable condition. A second man sustained potentially life-changing injuries and was taken to hospital by ambulance. It's understood there is "no wider threat to the public." The road has been cordoned off by police and officers remain on scene as the probe continues. Anyone with information was urged to get in touch. In a statement this afternoon, Staffordshire Police said: "We believe this was a targeted incident and there is no wider threat to the public at this time. "Officers are conducting house-to-house inquiries and anyone with relevant information, CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage should contact us on 101 quoting incident number 247 of 28 June. "To report anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Canada News.Net
24-06-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
New Option for Public to Challenge Greenwashing Claims Goes Live
It's been a year now since a new law took effect that requires companies to back up their environmental claims, but there's still a lot of unknowns about how Canada's anti-greenwashing rules will play out. What is clear so far is that they've already reduced what companies are choosing to say about their environmental record, even as the biggest source of worry for many-an option for the public to initiate claims-is only now kicking in, reports The Canadian Press. The pullback started as soon as the law came into effect on June 20 last year, when the Pathways Alliance group of oilsands companies scrubbed all content from its website and social media feeds. Since then there have been other high-profile moves blamed on the law, including the Royal Bank of Canada dropping its sustainable finance target and several climate metrics, and CPP Investments ditching its net-zero emission by 2050 target, but there have also been numerous other companies that have made quieter adjustments. "I can say with 100% certainty that many organizations across many industries in Canada are revisiting their disclosure," said Conor Chell, national leader of ESG law at KPMG in Canada. "There's a lot of disclosure that was pulled from the public domain." Companies have raised concerns about the broad, vague wording of the provision in Bill C-59 that requires them to backup environmental claims with 'internationally recognized methodology,' and the threat of penalties of up to 3% of global revenues if they're found to be in violation of the law. Many companies and groups have called for the additions to be scrapped, while the Alberta Enterprise Group and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association have launched a constitutional challenge, alleging the law is a breach of freedom of expression protections. The Competition Bureau has tried to address at least the uncertainty of the law by providing guidelines, with a finalized version out just over two weeks ago. View our latest digests Some have said the guidelines are still too vague, while others like the Pathways Alliance say they provide no assurance at all, because the Competition Bureau isn't bound by them, while the Competition Tribunal doesn't have to adhere to them. And it's the Competition Tribunal that many companies are especially worried about. A clause in the law that just recently went into effect allows the public to bypass the bureau, and directly ask the tribunal to hear a case. "From the perspective of many of our clients, the real risk lies in that private right of action," said Chell. The clause has raised fears of a flood of cases against companies, tying them up in legal wrangling at the court-like tribunal, possibly for years, and the costs that come along with such disputes. "We believe the amendments ... should be removed to allow businesses to speak openly and truthfully about what they are doing to improve environmental performance and without fear of meritless litigation by private entities," said Pathways president Kendall Dilling in a statement. But environmental groups have played down the threat. Ecojustice finance lawyer Tanya Jemec said the narrative that there is going to be a wave of filings is overblown, since bringing a case is time consuming and resource intensive, while they will have to meet a public-interest threshold before being allowed to proceed. "I think there is a lot of fearmongering going on out there, and efforts, whether intentional or not, to undermine these anti-greenwashing provisions." Some, including Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, have questioned whether the new greenwashing laws were needed at all, given deceptive marketing practices were already covered by the Competition Act. But Jemec said the existing process takes years, with no updates along the way from the bureau, while being able to take cases to the tribunal will increase transparency and relieve pressure on the bureau. She said the reaction to the new laws, which also set elevated standards and penalties to the existing general protections, shows they were needed. "The fact that companies are looking at what they are saying and changing course just may be an indication that the provisions are doing their work." Pushing companies to make sure they can back up their environmental claims improves competition, by making room for those legitimately trying to do better, said Wren Montgomery, associate professor at Western University's Ivey Business School. "It's often these smaller, newer, really sustainable, pure-play sustainability companies that the innovation is coming from," she said, noting she's seen in sectors ranging from fashion to wine. "In my research, we see that greenwash is driving them out, so it's making it really hard for them to get rewarded for bringing that value to the market." Others, including Calgary-based clean-tech investor Avatar Innovations, have raised concerns that the higher reporting standards could hold back startups, both because of the compliance burden and the lack of established testing standards for emerging technology. Montgomery said there are many established standards, and more being added, to cover environmental claims. "My larger concern is not that a reporting standard is going to inhibit innovation. It's that greenwashing is going to inhibit innovation, and I think the latter is a much bigger concern for Canada." It's not just smaller companies affected. Chell at KPMG said that for a while every company was clamouring to get out net-zero targets for the competitive advantage, but that advantage kept fading as more and more did it. He said if the law works as intended, only companies that can actually substantiate claims will be able to do so, especially for those "big ostentatious claims like net-zero, carbon neutrality." "So there is actually, I think, a competitive advantage for companies that can make those claims and back them up credibly." Whether the law is truly effective, or just forcing companies to say less out of caution, is still unclear, but it's certainly brought more focus to the problem, said Chell. "If the intent was to draw attention to greenwashing as an issue, I would say that that objective has certainly been achieved." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.
National Observer
23-06-2025
- Business
- National Observer
New tool to challenge greenwashing claims goes live as companies consider their strategy
It's been a year now since a new law took effect that requires companies to back up their environmental claims, but there's still a lot of unknowns about how the anti-greenwashing rules will play out. What is clear so far is that they've already reduced what companies are choosing to say about their environmental record, even as the biggest source of worry for many — an option for the public to initiate claims — is only now kicking in. The pullback started as soon as the law came into effect on June 20 last year, when the Pathways Alliance group of oilsands companies scrubbed all content from its website and social media feeds. Since then there have been other high-profile moves blamed on the law, including RBC dropping its sustainable finance target and several climate metrics, and CPP Investments ditching its net-zero emission by 2050 target, but there have also been numerous other companies that have made quieter adjustments. 'I can say with 100 per cent certainty that many organizations across many industries in Canada are revisiting their disclosure,' said Conor Chell, national leader of ESG law at KPMG in Canada. 'There's a lot of disclosure that was pulled from the public domain.' Companies have raised concerns about the broad, vague wording of the provision in Bill C-59 that requires them to backup environmental claims with 'internationally recognized methodology,' and the threat of penalties of up to three per cent of global revenues if they're found to be in violation of the law. Many companies and groups have called for the additions to be scrapped, while the Alberta Enterprise Group and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association have launched a constitutional challenge, alleging the law is a breach of freedom of expression protections. The Competition Bureau has tried to address at least the uncertainty of the law by providing guidelines, with a finalized version out just over two weeks ago. Some have said the guidelines are still too vague, while others like the Pathways Alliance say they provide no assurance at all, because the Competition Bureau isn't bound by them, while the Competition Tribunal doesn't have to adhere to them. And it's the Competition Tribunal that many companies are especially worried about. A clause in the law that went into effect Friday allows the public to bypass the bureau, and directly ask the tribunal to hear a case. 'From the perspective of many of our clients, the real risk lies in that private right of action,' said Chell. The clause has raised fears of a flood of cases against companies, tying them up in legal wrangling at the court-like tribunal, possibly for years, and the costs that come along with such disputes. 'We believe the amendments ... should be removed to allow businesses to speak openly and truthfully about what they are doing to improve environmental performance and without fear of meritless litigation by private entities," said Pathways president Kendall Dilling in a statement. But environmental groups have played down the threat. Ecojustice finance lawyer Tanya Jemec said the narrative that there is going to be a wave of filings is overblown, since bringing a case is time consuming and resource intensive, while they will have to meet a public-interest threshold before being allowed to proceed. 'I think there is a lot of fearmongering going on out there, and efforts, whether intentional or not, to undermine these anti-greenwashing provisions.' Some, including Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, have questioned whether the new greenwashing laws were needed at all, given deceptive marketing practices were already covered by the Competition Act. But Jemec said the existing process takes years, with no updates along the way from the bureau, while being able to take cases to the tribunal will increase transparency and relieve pressure on the bureau. She said the reaction to the new laws, which also set elevated standards and penalties to the existing general protections, shows they were needed. 'The fact that companies are looking at what they are saying and changing course just may be an indication that the provisions are doing their work.' Pushing companies to make sure they can back up their environmental claims improves competition, by making room for those legitimately trying to do better, said Wren Montgomery, associate professor at Western University's Ivey Business School. 'It's often these smaller, newer, really sustainable, pure-play sustainability companies that the innovation is coming from,' she said, noting she's seen in sectors ranging from fashion to wine. 'In my research, we see that greenwash is driving them out, so it's making it really hard for them to get rewarded for bringing that value to the market.' Others, including Calgary-based clean-tech investor Avatar Innovations, have raised concerns that the higher reporting standards could hold back startups, both because of the compliance burden and the lack of established testing standards for emerging technology. Montgomery said there are many established standards, and more being added, to cover environmental claims. 'My larger concern is not that a reporting standard is going to inhibit innovation. It's that greenwashing is going to inhibit innovation, and I think the latter is a much bigger concern for Canada.' It's not just smaller companies affected. Chell at KPMG said that for a while every company was clamouring to get out net-zero targets for the competitive advantage, but that advantage kept fading as more and more did it. He said if the law works as intended, only companies that can actually substantiate claims will be able to do so, especially for those "big ostentatious claims like net zero, carbon neutrality." 'So there is actually, I think, a competitive advantage for companies that can make those claims and back them up credibly.' Whether the law is truly effective, or just forcing companies to say less out of caution, is still unclear, but it's certainly brought more focus to the problem, said Chell. "If the intent was to draw attention to greenwashing as an issue, I would say that that objective has certainly been achieved." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.
