St. Louis aldermen are moving forward with a plan to curb police surveillance of citizens — or at least make that surveillance more transparent. But the man who claims to be surveilling parts of the city for profit wants aldermen to know that he’s not a fan.
Joe “Jomo” Johnson, who describes himself as a “future resident of the third ward” but is known locally mostly as that drone guy who wants to use your comings and goings as a more expensive Netflix, spoke against police surveillance reforms at a Board of Aldermen committee meeting last Thursday.
Johnson’s company, SMS Novel, markets itself as specializing in interactive Christian films. Recently, it announced its goal of making “Live Stream Drone TV” to fight crime. The company says its goal for 2024 is to train 10,000 pilots to fly drones over major cities (including St. Louis) to combat crime and allow paid subscribers to watch their neighborhoods in real time.
The February 29 committee meeting was focused on discussing Board Bill 185, a police surveillance bill introduced by Ward 14 Alderman Rasheen Aldridge and co-sponsored by Ward 7 Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier. It would put in place regulations governing the use of surveillance technology in the city and would require the tools and their uses be approved by the board prior to implementation.
Johnson (despite typically being elusive on this topic) used this meeting to clap back at those who have spoken out against his plan to surveil the city.
Johnson’s comments at this Public Safety Committee Meeting on February 29 came just one day before Board Bill 199, which has the potential to put his company out of business in St. Louis, was sent for perfection before the full Board of Aldermen.
Board Bill 199 contains a clause that could shut down SMS Novel’s surveillance program.
It says: “No person, entity, or state agency shall use a drone to conduct surveillance or observation of any individual or privately owned property held by an individual without the express written consent of that individual or property owner.”
Johnson, alongside St. Louis Metropolitan Police Commissioner Robert Tracy, spoke in opposition to the bill. Tracy and Johnson were in the minority of public speakers, who otherwise overwhelmingly supported Bill 185 and previously showed up to support Bill 199.
“As someone who has frequented St. Louis much and also as a future resident, I stand in opposition to bill 185,” Johnson said. “Recognizing that police are understaffed, under-resourced, I believe that any more form of bureaucracy that would prevent the high rates of homicide, crime, and property theft in St. Louis would actually be detrimental to the health and safety of the most vulnerable citizens.”
He went on to say that African American residents of the city are more vulnerable to crime.
After briefly speaking in opposition to the police surveillance bill, Johnson used the remainder of his three minutes to clap back at the board and at vocal advocates who have spoken against his surveillance plan.
Calling himself “incensed,” Johnson claimed there was hypocrisy among the board. He called out Alderwoman Sonnier (and mispronounced her name). He said he specifically wanted to address statements she made to the news “stating that a drone company started by an African American business owner was exploitative and caused fear mongering.”
“I think if we want to hear Black voices, we shouldn’t demonize Black voices that try to create solutions for crime in St. Louis and other cities,” Johnson said.
He also called out a community member that he accused of calling his drone plan a “scheme.”
“I feel that is completely disrespectful,” Johnson said. “As someone who had his mother shot publicly in the community, I am someone who was affected by crime personally.”
“He doesn’t even live here!” community members shouted at the Zoom screen after Johnson finished speaking.
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