New York Police Fight U.S. Over Eavesdropping

[BlueJessamine]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — An effort by the New York Police Department to get broader latitude to eavesdrop on terrorism suspects has run into sharp resistance from the Justice Department in a bitter struggle that has left the police commissioner and the attorney general accusing the other of putting the public at risk.

The Police Department, with the largest municipal counterterrorism operation in the country, wants the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to loosen their approach to the federal law that governs electronic surveillance. But federal officials have refused to relax the standards, and have said requests submitted by the police department could actually jeopardize surveillance efforts by casting doubt on their legality.

Under the law, the government must in most cases obtain a warrant from the special Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court before it can begin electronic monitoring of people suspected of spying or terrorism. The requests are subjected to sharp scrutiny, first by lawyers at the F.B.I., then by lawyers at the Justice Department, and finally by the court itself.

New York’s department, as a local police force, cannot apply directly, but must seek warrants through the F.B.I. and the Justice Department. The police want those agencies to expedite the department’s requests, and contend that the federal agencies unfairly blocked the city’s applications for surveillance warrants, first in June and then in September.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/washington/20terror.html?_r=1&hp

[BlooInBloo]

1. Rule of thumb: If the cops want it, don't give it to them. They're certain to terrorize the public.

[Mithreal]

3. PE Obama has shown a willingness to work with police

to pass legislation that they at first did not support as well as listen to them and get legislation they needed passed.

These police want to apply to FISA directly, rt? What argument can you make against that? How is their using a court for warrants taking anything away from us?

My brother is a cop and my father-in-law is retired state police. My brother-in-law's father-in-law was killed in the line of duty. He sacrificed himself for the greater good.

I understand some cops are bad. I am a former teacher and I PERSONALLY KNOW some teachers are bad or worse, but I am not against the education profession. There are teachers that commit the most horrendous offenses as well, but to hate the teaching profession or teachers would just be stupid. Police though often risk their very lives for the common good.

Folks on DU that talk hatefully of cops really make me angry. Maybe some have horrific personal stories, if so I understand disgust, but to attack the profession or police in general is ridiculously unwarranted and lame.

[OnyxCollie]

5. The standards for receiving a warrant under FISA are much lower than

for standards for law enforcement because foreign surveillance is more nebulous than domestic crime.

This authority is not to be given out lightly. Period.

[Mithreal]

8. The story says they want this for terrorism suspects

But I accept it could be abused and should not be used for domestic surveillance.

[OnyxCollie]

10. So the NYPD is tracking foreign powers or agents of foreign powers?

I call bullshit on that. The FISA statute has been gutted already. We don't need the NYPD labeling people "terrorists" and given carte blanche to spy. Maybe you weren't aware of the NYPD's actions during the 2004 Republican Convention.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/r/republican_national_convention/index.html?query=SUITS%20AND%20LITIGATION&field=des&match=exact

[Fumesucker]

6. Maybe if police weren't overwhelmingly in favor of unjust laws..

Some people would change their attitudes.

I have police in my family, I also have a member of another branch of my family doing long hard time for a non-violent "drug crime" that in a rational society wouldn't be a crime at all.

The cop in my family strongly supports the unjust law that put my other family member in prison.

It's hard to respect someone when they support injustice.

[Mithreal]

9. Overwhelmingly? Do you have data to back that assertion?

I agree with you about the injustice of some "drug crimes".

We can't take too much more of this insanity, but I do not blame it on police.

We are a nation of laws, so let's get them changed. The police are there to enforce laws. Why blame them when you elect your representatives?

[fascisthunter]

2. yuh surrre... give Bad Cops more Power to Abuse

I don't think so, Cracka!

[BunkerHill24]

4. LOL ha ha ha

:rofl:

[saigon68]

7. LOL

couldn't have said it better