Feds investigate NJ drones and their findings upset local officials

☑️ Feds double down on their belief there is no danger to the public

☑️ Pequannock Mayor Ryan Herd called it more "gaslighting"

☑️ Rep. Chris Smith called an updated statement "misleading"

A collection of federal alphabet agencies issued a joint statement on Monday to say their investigation into the drones over New Jersey has not found anything “anomalous” or a threat to national security or public safety.

The statement came from Homeland Security, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Department.

Pequannock Mayor Ryan Herd called it  "more gaslighting by the government."

The agencies maintained that the drones sighted over New Jersey since mid-November are a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones.

"We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast," the statement says. "That said, we recognize the concern among many communities. We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement."

Herd said New Jersey mayors were briefed on Monday on a call. He said the government is asking people not to believe their eyes and was frustrated with a lack of answers.

"The fact remains we are seeing drones over our homes and over our families and this is a voice for concern. What is going on here? Is it somebody in the government? We need to know. We need answers. And we did not get any answers on this call."

ALSO READ: Green laser incident in NJ highlights dangerous drone frenzy

'Misleading at best'

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, 4th District, told NewsNation that the federal findings are "misleading at best" and encouraged the federal agencies to come clean on the drones. He said police officers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the military have seen the drones over Naval Weapons Station and Picatinny Arsenal.

"By Day 1 we should have been saying 'this is what it is' and responsible parties should have been made aware of it including our governor, who asked for more information which he had not gotten," Smith said.

Smith said he is sponsoring a bill that will give states more power to determine the intent of a drone including the ability to take them down.

"Look at the Middle East. Look at Ukraine. Drone warfare has become the go-to method of delivering packages that include ordinances," Smith said.

The bill is where Smith and the federal government can find common ground. The FBI, DHS and the Pentagon called for Congress to enact counter-UAS legislation that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge.

ALSO READ: Are answers coming? NJ gets new tools for drone mystery

No laser lights

The FBI issued a separate statement urging people not to shine laser lights at planes or fire a weapon at what they believe to be an unmanned aircraft but could be a manned aircraft. The agency said it has been working with State Police and dozens of other agencies to “legally track down operators acting illegally or with nefarious intent, and using every available tool and piece of equipment to find the answers the public is seeking.”

State Police Col. Pat Callahan and FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado delivered the same message in a video.

Lakewood police Capt. Greg Staffordsmith confirmed that they received a report from the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Saturday about an unknown source pointing a laser at an aircraft from the area of the Hampshire Crossing apartments on New Hampshire Avenue.

"After searching the area the source was not located and the call was deemed to be unfounded. There have not been any reports since then," Staffordsmith said.

Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy said a report was also investigated about a laser coming from Seaside Heights. It was also unfounded.

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