Those of us who maintain a strong interest in both the prevention of another terrorist attack in the United States and the protection of our basic rights as U.S. citizens should spend at least some time considering the issues raised in the U.S. News cover story, “The Spy Next Door.”
It details the growth of intelligence-gathering personnel and technology within local police departments across the country.
I’m sure we all would like to see a system in which better intelligence could help us catch the next Moussaoui before he acts. It’s also great when technology can help a cop determine that the guy he stopped for a traffic violation on Hillsborough Street is wanted for multiple murders in New York.
But let’s hope the systems develop with proper checks and balances. The article suggests some troubling signs.
For instance, David E. Kaplan writes that in 2003, the Department of Homeland Security began requiring states to develop plans identifying “potential threat elements” — or PTEs.
“Most of the reports are not available publicly, but U.S. News obtained nine state homeland security plans and found that local officials have identified thousands of ‘potential’ terrorists. There are striking disparities, as well. South Carolina, for example, found 68 PTEs, but neighboring North Carolina uncovered 506. Vermont and New Hampshire found none at all. Most impressive was Texas, where in 2004 investigators identified 2,052 potential threat elements.”
Kaplan also cites the concerns of some civil libertarians:
“As Washington doles out millions of dollars for police intelligence, its reliance on voluntary guidelines may backfire, warn critics, who worry that abuses could wreck the important work that needs to be done. ‘We’re still diddling around,’ says police technology expert [Paul] Wormeli [of the Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute, a Justice Department-backed training and technology center]. ‘We’re not setting clear policy on what we put in our databases. Should a patrol officer in Tallahassee be able to look at my credit report? Most people would say, “Hell, no.”‘”
