Private citizens and legislators alike expressed horror and outrage at the National Security Agency when the agency’s phone surveillance practices were revealed. Although the NSA continues to be much maligned, it is still operating and still snooping. We predict the same pattern of much talk and no meaningful action will emanate from the recent revelations that local police in many cities throughout California, including San Francisco, are using phone surveillance equipment. Not only are police using this equipment, but they are keeping quiet about it, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Northern California reported its director of technology and civil liberties as saying,
“Local law enforcement has been taking advantage of millions of federal surveillance dollars streaming into California to sidestep the normal oversight process of city councils and boards of supervisors and keep the public in the dark about important community decisions.”
Maybe the issue here should be that the feds are footing the bill for this equipment at all!
However the issue was reiterated as surveillance is just fine, we just need more legislation regarding it when San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos called for passage of legislation, presumably to provide transparency and accountability in the acquisition and use of surveillance equipment.
The ACLU drafted a clear four-page “model legislation” that requires discussion of the costs and benefits of surveillance equipment, which is a good thing. Those of us who are concerned not only with the use of such equipment, but also with the strings that come attached to the federal dollars pouring into local communities will want to get involved in making sure the costs part of the discussion is forcefully articulated.
Article on ACLU website:
ACLU Launches campaign to curb surveillance
Legislation drafted by the ACLU:
https://www.aclunc.org/sites/default/files/20141112-model_ordinance.pdf
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