Sheriffs in Washington State Are Receiving Death Threats Over Their Refusal to Enforce Gun Control

A number of sheriffs around the state, including those from Spokane, Chelan, Stevens, Douglas, Benton, Adams, and Lewis counties, have refused to enforce the law because, in their view, it violates the Second Amendment. In response, threats to kill these sheriffs and all Republicans were posted on Facebook.

Sheriffs Using Iris Recognition Technology along US-Mexico Border

In April, 2017 the Southwestern Border Sheriffs’ Coalition (SBSC) unanimously approved use of iris recognition technology as a defense against “violent unauthorized immigrants.” All 31 US counties along the 1,989 miles of the US border with Mexico will receive a three-year trial of Inmate Recognition Identification System (IRIS), created by the company Biometric Intelligence and Identification Technologies, or BI2, according to George Joseph of the Intercept.

IRIS software photographs and captures the details of an individual’s eyes, collecting around 240 characteristics within seconds, then examines a database of nearly a million profiles for an identity. When compared to the roughly 40-60 characteristics found in finger prints, BI2’s system is far more precise. The new system will also fight against common problems such as fingerprint defacement and false personal information given to officers. SBSC hopes that both the stationary and mobile versions of the scanners will create a “digital wall” against criminals. BI2 plans on having their creation expand to law enforcement throughout the country. This is supported by market analysis from Tractica, which predicts an annual growth rate of 22% in biometric revenues, accounting for an estimated $ 69.8 billion over a ten-year period.

As hopeful as SBSC is about the crime fighting potential of IRIS, critics of this system suggest that it will encourage racial profiling against immigrants and may be used to determine legal status. According to Nathan Wessler, staff attorney with the Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, “Racial profiling is a serious concern, especially Latinos or people of color are at greater risk for iris checks.” Wessler told the Intercept, “In this country, we’ve long resisted being a ‘show me your papers’ society, but this moves us to that because you increasingly can’t avoid your identity being scooped up in public.”

Adam Schwartz, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s civil liberties team, raised concerns about local law enforcement sharing information with federal immigration agencies, like US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Schwartz told the Intercept, “Whatever legitimate interest police have in capturing biometrics to do ordinary law enforcement jobs, it is not proper to share that information with ICE.” As Joseph’s Intercept report noted, currently, ICE has “direct access” to many law enforcement databases.

As of January 2018, nine months after the SBSC vote, the BI2 and SBSC websites still do not acknowledge the existence of the partnership. There has not been any establishment news coverage of the new border technology, with corporate media concentrating their reporting about border security on President Trump’s proposed wall. A few local and independent news sources have reported on this story, including the San Antonio Express-News, Business Wire, and Muckrock.

Source: George Joseph, “The Biometric Frontier,” The Intercept, July 08, 2017, https://theintercept.com/2017/07/08/border-sheriffs-iris-surveillance-biometrics/.

Student Researcher: Jessica Paneral (North Central College)

Faculty Evaluator: Steve Macek (North Central College)

The post Sheriffs Using Iris Recognition Technology along US-Mexico Border appeared first on Project Censored.

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Ohio Peace Officer Drafts NDAA Letter For Police And Sheriffs

OathKeepers.org
January 9, 2011

Below is a letter composed by one of our peace officers in Ohio. This letter was written to raise awareness of the ominous problems in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012.

Because Jim Singleton is a State chapter officer for Ohio Oath Keepers and is Ohio’s Peace Officer Liaison, this letter will be circulated within LE communities around Ohio. I am placing this letter on our national website as a guide and/or template for all Peace Officer members in Oath Keepers in all State chapters.

All are encouraged to write their own letters and mail to all Peace Officer offices in respective States. Oath Keepers is mobilizing on various fronts in response to the travesty called NDAA-2012. Oath Keepers salutes current-serving Peace Officer Jim Singleton, our Ohio chapter Secretary.

Police Oath

Ohio Oath Keepers
Office of the Secretary
Law Enforcement Liaison

Greetings and Salutations,

It’s unfortunate that I have to write this letter, however in light of current events it is inevitable. Just days ago the United States Congress passed the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) this in itself was necessary.

However in this bill was an insidious piece of verbiage that for all intents and purposes destroys the foundation of everything we believe in and took an oath to uphold. To me the possibility of those citizens and others under my protection being spirited off in the middle of the night by agents of the military, then being summarily incarcerated without access to judge or jury are insufferable and intolerable acts.

It will be argued that this only applies to foreign persons or others suspected of terrorism, but there are far too many avenues available to apply this to any group to which any administration may take umbrage with.

When growing up and especially during our training in the academy we are instructed that the constitutional rights of all must be upheld at all times, as well as the respect for all people we come in contact with or represent. This section of the NDAA attempts to remove those rights which are enumerated and given to us by our creator, and places them in the hands of the office of the President of the United States to be disregarded at his whim.

And in those few words lies a conundrum, do we as police officers, sheriffs, deputies and others who have taken the oath to uphold and defend the constitution, now turn our back on that very oath? Do we now turn against the very same people that entrusted us with a most sacred duty to serve and protect them? If in fact we follow a rule of law such as this bill enacts, it would mean that the oath that we all took meant nothing.

We are obliged to follow all lawful orders given to us, but we cannot do this blindly. History has seen the result of these acts and has judged them accordingly. I can only ask all of you to take a moment to reflect upon all that we are taught and hold dear, the people we serve deserve and demand our highest respect for it is through them and they alone that we were given this oath.

Do we simply turn a blind eye for the sake of political expediency and lose our respect? Is a few pieces of silver so dear that we would sell our honor for it? How will we explain to our friends and loved ones why members of our community were spirited away or how will they see us when they realize (that when their time comes) we won’t be there for them?

I believe that if and when those orders come, I cannot in good faith and in strict observance to my oath, allow myself to be a part of them.

I would hope that members of our military in accordance to the articles of the UCMJ, would also refuse them as well. When that time comes I will do exactly as I have sworn to do, I will serve and protect those under my care, so help me God.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8

Respectfully Submitted
James B. Singleton
__________________
Secretary Ohio Oath Keepers
LE Liason – Ohio

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