Florida Creates "the Matrix", a Big Brother-Like Surveillance System with Help From Choicepoint-Related FirmFrom Democracy Now: Remember the Florida election of 2000 when a private database company scrubbed thousands of eligible voters from the rolls? Well now one of the co-founders of Database Technologies is back in the headlines -- he's working with law enforcement agents in Florida to create what may soon expand into a national surveillance system. We talk with privacy expert Wayne Madsen, investigative reporter Greg Palast and a top intelligence official from the state of Florida. [Includes transcript] Click here to read to full transcript on DemocracyNow.org A Florida law enforcement data-sharing network is about to go national. In the name of counterterrorism, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are pouring millions of dollars into the system to expand it to local law enforcement agencies across the nation. It's called Matrix, which stands for Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange. According to the Washington Post, the computer network accesses information that has always been available to investigators but brings it together and enables police to access it with extraordinary speed. Civil liberties and privacy groups say the Matrix system dramatically increases the ability of local police to snoop on individuals. The Florida company that built the database was founded by the man behind ChoicePoint and Database Technologies. The companies administered the contract that stripped thousands of African Americans from the Florida voter roles before the 2000 election. Although narrower in scope than John Poindexter's controversial Terrorist Global Information Awareness program, Matrix may serve a similar purpose because it provides unprecedented access to US residents regardless of their criminal background. And states are eager to participate in the new program. On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to launch a pilot program in state law enforcement data-sharing among Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York.
News clips:Child
search may be extended FDLE chief: Prevention works Irritated judge rips FDLE in lab flap The Justice Department announced Monday that it intends to use criminal penalties against immigrants and foreign visitors who fail to notify the government within 10 days of changing their addresses. 7/23/02 An officer and an INS agent -- FDLE cross-training 35 police officers to also serve as INS agents -- While Florida law enforcement officials spearhead a pilot program designating officers to also serve as INS agents, all eyes are on the Sunshine State in anticipation of what could become the national model for domestic security. On July 9, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Domestic Security Task Force began cross-training 35 officers from police agencies statewide to increase their expertise in federal immigration matters. 7/23/02 FDLE
says no cases in danger after Orlando analyst resigned Lab
worker puts cases in doubt FDLE,
DCF to hold videoconferences on missing children FDLE
Commissioner named to president's homeland security panel State makes security a priority despite cost -TALLAHASSEE -- Three months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Florida remains in an official state of emergency, with police obtaining top-secret FBI clearance, health officials deciding what antidotes to stockpile in the event of a bioterrorist attack and the state steering non-U.S. citizens seeking driver's licenses to special offices where their identifications will be more closely scrutinized. The Capitol Police Senate
takes aim at terror State senators passed a slew of security bills Monday but ditched a proposal to let law enforcement officials seek court orders to close public records on a case-by-case basis. The Senate limited the scope of another public records bill concerning drug stockpiles before sending it and 10 other measures to the House. Florida Senate backs tighter security laws - TALLAHASSEE -- Trying to keep controversy to a minimum, the state Senate passed several security-related measures Tuesday, but never took up a proposal that would have let state police secretly petition a judge to seal public records. State
senators pass bill allowing police to listen in on cell phones Editorial, July 02, 2001 - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement ought to change its name to the Florida Department of Dopey Decisions....FDLE Commissioner James Moore engaged in a humiliating cave-in to pressure from the National Rifle Association. He wrongly agreed to substantially cripple a new statewide computer database of pawned items, deleting any records of guns after only 48 hours. (Top) (Back) info@whoseflorida.com
|
