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friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 01:52 AM Jun 2014

Internal Police Emails Show Efforts to Hide Use of Cell Phone Tracking

Source: ACLU

Internal Police Emails Show Efforts to Hide Use of Cell Phone Tracking
06/19/2014

By Maria Kayanan, Associate Legal Director, ACLU of Florida at 9:01pm

As we suspected, local law enforcement officials are borrowing cell phone tracking devices known as “stingrays” from the U.S. Marshals Service – and police are deliberately concealing the use of stingrays in court documents submitted to judges in criminal investigations.

The ACLU of Florida is releasing a set of internal police emails obtained through a public records request with the subject line “Trap and Trace Confidentiality”. The documents confirm that local police, working on state court matters, hide behind the sham cloak of the U.S. Marshals’ office to keep the information about stingray use out of court files – and beyond even a court’s custody and reach.

In the email exchange, a Sarasota Police Department sergeant says that in warrant application to a judge, a North Port Police Department detective had “specifically outlined the investigative means used to locate the suspect,” and the sergeant asked that the detective “submit a new PCA [probable cause affidavit] and seal the old one.” In other words, fix the old affidavit and keep the use of the stingray equipment secret.

The sergeant also says, “In the past, and at the request of the U.S. Marshalls [sic], the investigative means utilized to locate the suspect have not been revealed so that we may continue to utilize this technology without the knowledge of the criminal element. In reports or depositions we simply refer to the assistance as ‘received information from a confidential source regarding the location of the suspect.’ To date this has not been challenged…”

Read more: https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security-technology-and-liberty/internal-police-emails-show-efforts-hide-use-cell



Remember, citizen: It's better for society that you don't know what surveillance
techniques are being used by law enforcement. Fourth Amendment? HA!

(from the link in the above excerpt)

https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/assets/aclu_florida_stingray_police_emails.pdf

I just received a phone call from one of our detectives (Tom Laughlin) who is assigned to the U.S.
Marshalls Task Force out of Tampa. He received a call from the ASA Craig Schaefer regarding some
concerns. Schaefer advised him that they received a PCA regarding a NorthPortPD Case 09-031066
in where the detective specifically outlined the investigative means used to locate the suspect. As you are aware for some time now, the US Marshalls and I believe FDLE have had equipment which enables law enforcement to ping a suspects cell phone and pin point his/her exact location in an effort to apprehend suspects involved in serious crimes. In the past, and at the request of the U.S. Marshalls, the investigative means utilized to locate the suspect have not been revealed so that we may continue to utilize this technology without the knowledge of the criminal element. In reports or depositions we simply refer to the assistance as " received information from a confidential source regarding the location of the suspect." To date this has not been challenged, since it is not an integral part of the actual crime that occurred.

The ASA was not sure what agency your Detective Sinehth used that had the equipment that enabled him/her to locate his suspect. They were concerned as we all are, that by providing these specifics on a PCA, could jeopardize future investigations attempting to locate fugitives. The Tampa Office of the US Marshalls was not involved in the case, and they are not aware of who was. If this is in fact one of your cases, could you please entertain either having the Detective submit a new PCA and seal the old one, or at minimum instruct the detectives for future cases, regarding the fact that it is unnecessary to provide investigative means to anyone outside of law enforcement , especially in a public document. Please note that I am passing information on to you, and I have not been able to confirm that the case or detective are affiliated with NPPD


"Most open...", my ass!
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Internal Police Emails Show Efforts to Hide Use of Cell Phone Tracking (Original Post) friendly_iconoclast Jun 2014 OP
This message was self-deleted by its author InfoWingerWatch Jun 2014 #1
from the white house to the police car, bye bye rights nt msongs Jun 2014 #2
Thanks, 9/11... blkmusclmachine Jun 2014 #3
Not an integral part of the actual crime? Well of course not Xipe Totec Jun 2014 #4
Yes. This. n/t Psephos Jun 2014 #5
You're right. What a rotten shame. n/t Judi Lynn Jun 2014 #6
Who monitors the monitors? sarcasmo Jun 2014 #7
Keep it from the ''Criminal Element''... Octafish Jun 2014 #8
k & r! nt wildbilln864 Jun 2014 #9

Response to friendly_iconoclast (Original post)

Xipe Totec

(43,872 posts)
4. Not an integral part of the actual crime? Well of course not
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 06:19 AM
Jun 2014

It's an integral part of a separate crime perpetrated by a separate criminal; the police department.

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