Lawrence leaders say the city doesn’t have any drones nor is planning to get any, but five area civil rights groups and political organizations are pushing for a policy limiting their use, just in case.

Ben Jones heads the Lawrence-based group Kansans for Responsible Drone Use, which asked city commissioners in May to consider a local policy. The issue hasn’t come up for discussion since then, so Jones now has gotten the support of four other groups seeking a Lawrence policy.

Douglas County Republican Party chairwoman Jana Rea says the idea of a local policy makes sense in light of national news about the federal government’s surveillance programs.

Among other limitations, the groups want any policy to ban the city from ever using weaponized drones.

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Associated Press information from: Lawrence Journal-World