Skip to content

Drug Enforcement Administration agent used Illinois cop’s Flock license plate reader password for immigration enforcement searches

Technology
36 18 0
  • I'm no lawyer, let alone a US lawyer, but can somebody explain how this isn't a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes it a federal offense to intentionally access a “protected computer” without authorization or by exceeding authorized access?

    Yeah but police literally get away with murder here so I don't think this will end up making a big splash

  • This post did not contain any content.

    That was fast! I feel like I only started hearing about Flock, what, two weeks ago?

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    Because fuck ICE, thats why...

  • This post did not contain any content.

    Flock cameras are the most abhorrent privacy violation.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    It does make sense. Police are not perfect saint-like beings, and the government is not composed of perfect beings either. I'm not sure what kind of person you are, but I'm sure there are some things you enjoy and partake in which some other social group really despises. If you're religious, it may be militant atheists who despise you going to church. If you're not religious, it may be militant theists who despise you not going to church. The point is, there's probably some social cultures out there that hate you for the things that you love. Those people may not be in charge right now, but they might be one day. Those people can end up in police departments, as developers for these camera companies, as administrators for the database that collects information on where you drive and when. Those people, being imperfect as they are, may not always resist the temptation to use this system in a way to track down and identify people like you for doing whatever it is that you love and they hate. Now you end up on a list for that.

    There's no denying that sophisticated surveillance technology does make it easier to catch criminals and does legitimately protect from the threats those criminals pose. But surveillance technology, by it's very nature, cannot surveil only the criminals - it has to surveil everyone to find the criminals. And the notion of what is criminal may change. If your favorite hobby becomes criminalized, or if the government criminalizes your identity itself, these beautifully effective tools are suddenly turned against you.

    There is a happy medium to be found between giving your society tools to enforce the will of constituents, vs. giving your society tools that be too easily abused. Given that this tool is already being abused, it probably isn't worth the benefits.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    Username does not check out.

  • I'm no lawyer, let alone a US lawyer, but can somebody explain how this isn't a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes it a federal offense to intentionally access a “protected computer” without authorization or by exceeding authorized access?

    Its only illegal if authorities are willing to enforce the law against him.

  • Username does not check out.

    ^for me, not for thee^ is missing from the name.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers

    It could be because immigrants are not as bad as murderers.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    Because immigration enforcement is a civil violation, not a criminal one. Imagine if the government said that license plate readers could be used to enforce copyright violations, or defamation. Say a bad word about the President and they will use the system to find your car and wait for you to send you to Alligator Auschwitz without a trial.

  • This post did not contain any content.

    A Palos Heights police officer has been disciplined and retrained

    That is automatic fired in any place I've worked IT.

    The detective stated it was “common” to allow others in the group to use his login for drug investigations

    That's an investigation in any place I've worked IT.

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Like that matters.

    Meh, read the damned article. It's more damning than I can post about.

    As usual, I'll sign off by saying, get strapped, learn gun safety and local laws, practice, be ready to fucking die in a firefight. Human rights will never come cheap to defend. But in no case lie down for this shit. Don't have a "brown people" pic, but they're as important as any of us.

    If your life is more important than your liberty, you do you, I will not judge. But I've made my own decision on the matter.

  • A Palos Heights police officer has been disciplined and retrained

    That is automatic fired in any place I've worked IT.

    The detective stated it was “common” to allow others in the group to use his login for drug investigations

    That's an investigation in any place I've worked IT.

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Like that matters.

    Meh, read the damned article. It's more damning than I can post about.

    As usual, I'll sign off by saying, get strapped, learn gun safety and local laws, practice, be ready to fucking die in a firefight. Human rights will never come cheap to defend. But in no case lie down for this shit. Don't have a "brown people" pic, but they're as important as any of us.

    If your life is more important than your liberty, you do you, I will not judge. But I've made my own decision on the matter.

    I wish more people who believe in justice had your attitude. We wouldn't be degrading into Orwellian 1984 standards if the powers that be received just 2% pushback with the same magnitude of force they employ.

    Democracy dies because Americans, the gun-toting, freedom-fighting, liberty-loving citizens they are, are in fact giant. fucking. cowards. In general.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    LOLLLLLLLL

    And I suppose any arrests or convictions based on that were not legal or overturned, right??

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    LOLLLLLLLL

    And I suppose any arrests or convictions based on that were not legal or overturned, right??

    Well you would assume that some people might be able to appeal based on this.

  • Because immigration enforcement is a civil violation, not a criminal one. Imagine if the government said that license plate readers could be used to enforce copyright violations, or defamation. Say a bad word about the President and they will use the system to find your car and wait for you to send you to Alligator Auschwitz without a trial.

    Entering the country illegally is a crime under federal law, not civil. Remaining in the country after your legal immigration status is up is a civil issue, but deportation is a lawful response.

    Why do you think people should get to stay in a country illegally? I’m genuinely curious.

  • Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers

    It could be because immigrants are not as bad as murderers.

    That’s completely irrelevant. If you can identify someone as being in the country illegally it makes no sense to not be allowed to act on it.

  • It does make sense. Police are not perfect saint-like beings, and the government is not composed of perfect beings either. I'm not sure what kind of person you are, but I'm sure there are some things you enjoy and partake in which some other social group really despises. If you're religious, it may be militant atheists who despise you going to church. If you're not religious, it may be militant theists who despise you not going to church. The point is, there's probably some social cultures out there that hate you for the things that you love. Those people may not be in charge right now, but they might be one day. Those people can end up in police departments, as developers for these camera companies, as administrators for the database that collects information on where you drive and when. Those people, being imperfect as they are, may not always resist the temptation to use this system in a way to track down and identify people like you for doing whatever it is that you love and they hate. Now you end up on a list for that.

    There's no denying that sophisticated surveillance technology does make it easier to catch criminals and does legitimately protect from the threats those criminals pose. But surveillance technology, by it's very nature, cannot surveil only the criminals - it has to surveil everyone to find the criminals. And the notion of what is criminal may change. If your favorite hobby becomes criminalized, or if the government criminalizes your identity itself, these beautifully effective tools are suddenly turned against you.

    There is a happy medium to be found between giving your society tools to enforce the will of constituents, vs. giving your society tools that be too easily abused. Given that this tool is already being abused, it probably isn't worth the benefits.

    But if they did criminalise my favourite hobby, and they had evidence that I’m continuing to do that hobby in plain sight, they see me doing it every day……I’d expect them to come get me. That makes sense. It makes no sense to have that technology there to be used to find some crimes but not others.

  • I wish more people who believe in justice had your attitude. We wouldn't be degrading into Orwellian 1984 standards if the powers that be received just 2% pushback with the same magnitude of force they employ.

    Democracy dies because Americans, the gun-toting, freedom-fighting, liberty-loving citizens they are, are in fact giant. fucking. cowards. In general.

    Can you imagine how bad it would be if the fascists felt free to kick in any door in an unarmed society? The mind boggles.

  • Because fuck ICE, thats why...

    Nah. People should not be in a country illegally. They want to migrate? Do it legally like the rest of the law abiding citizens.

  • A bit of missing context - the officer with the access to the FLOCK system shared his account details with many other officers including the DEA agent because he thought that’s just what was done since he was the only one with an account.

    Also on this:

    State legislation prohibits Illinois license plate reader data from being used for immigration enforcement purposes.

    Why?! Why is immigration enforcement being stifled so much? Imagine if there was a police database that could help find murderers whenever they drove their car in public and legislators said “no you’re not allowed to use that to help find wanted murderers”. It makes no sense.

    I'm not responding to you're entire verbal vomit. am going to say this.

    What youve written at the end is not what's happening.