American police police use cellphone spying device funded by the feds

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

Nice police state guys.

 

Land of the "free".

 

 

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/25597191/police-use-cellphone-spying-device

 

 

Sheriff Tim Howard told WGRZ Thursday that he won't publicly discuss the matter any longer because doing so could adversely impact investigations.

A stingray is a device that mimics a cell tower and thereby tricks all wireless devices on the same network into communicating with it.

Howard told Erie County legislators last week that the stingray surveillance device his office has owned since 2008 is used only for tracking a person's movements, not for gathering content of cellphone communications. The surveillance equipment can capture data from targeted cellphones even when they're not in use.

He told the lawmakers that the courts should determine how he can use the equipment, not them.

Use of the device has raised concerns among Buffalo-area lawmakers over potential abuses of people's privacy.

 

[beebskadoo]

No one here is denying that we live In a police state, no one is denying that we lack privacy in the US. so why do you insist on acting like we are all dumb to the situation? You have expressed your disdain for the US government on multiple threads, but yet you insist on trying to insult the US members by saying things like 'nice police state guys' like we have the situation under our control?

Unless I'm totally wrong, it's just how I see your attitude towards these topics.

[Guest Kloaked]

This is seriously nothing new. Even in my small county, the police department is trolling everyone here that literally have broken no laws. I know someone who had their vehicle impounded because they had prescription drugs on them, lol. 

[Misanthrope]

No one here is denying that we live In a police state, no one is denying that we lack privacy in the US. so why do you insist on acting like we are all dumb to the situation? You have expressed your disdain for the US government on multiple threads, but yet you insist on trying to insult the US members by saying things like 'nice police state guys' like we have the situation under our control?

Unless I'm totally wrong, it's just how I see your attitude towards these topics.

 

Because their invasive attitude, privacy or otherwise as in actual occupation, is far from limited to US citizens. Besides that, you Americans truly need to stop taking personal offense when someone implies something is shitty about your government since:

 

1) Like you said it yourself: most of you actually agree

2) Nationalism is a stupid fucking construct designed as an excuse to keep people under control

3) You're a lot more energetic about 1) and 2) than actually doing something to change some of the stupidity you're victims of: organizing protests, civil disobedience and resistance movements would be a lot more effective that getting your panties in a bunch about what some foreign asshole thinks of you on an internet forum.

[Tech_Dreamer]

What do you do when people who are supposed to protect YOU , are even worse than your enemies?

 

 

:blink: justice in the shadows..

[beebskadoo]

Because their invasive attitude, privacy or otherwise as in actual occupation, is far from limited to US citizens. Besides that, you Americans truly need to stop taking personal offense when someone implies something is shitty about your government since:

1) Like you said it yourself: most of you actually agree

2) Nationalism is a stupid fucking construct designed as an excuse to keep people under control

3) You're a lot more energetic about 1) and 2) than actually doing something to change some of the stupidity you're victims of: organizing protests, civil disobedience and resistance movements would be a lot more effective that getting your panties in a bunch about what some foreign asshole thinks of you on an internet forum.

If you think that I was offended based on my comment than I must assure you that I wasn't. I agree with the OP that we do live in a police state. I hold no pride for my country, and I agree than nationalism is just bullshit propaganda, but the entire blame doesn't deserve to be held on the citizens. The citizens of the US have the least amount of political power, the ones with the most power are corporations because money is voting power according to our legal system. I have given support to campaigns that are trying to change that law, but until that's changed nothing will improve.

I showed support for a president that promised us change but never delivered, yes the man has done some great things but it's not enough.

Mocking our government is warranted, mocking it's citizens is just unfair when they have little control over it. That's my stance I suppose.

[Guest Kloaked]

If you think that I was offended based on my comment than I must assure you that I wasn't. I agree with the OP that we do live in a police state. I hold no pride for my country, and I agree than nationalism is just bullshit propaganda, but the entire blame doesn't deserve to be held on the citizens. The citizens of the US have the least amount of political power, the ones with the most power are corporations because money is voting power according to our legal system. I have given support to campaigns that are trying to change that law, but until that's changed nothing will improve.

I showed support for a president that promised us change but never delivered, yes the man has done some great things but it's not enough.

Mocking our government is warranted, mocking it's citizens is just unfair when they have little control over it. That's my stance I suppose.

 

I've learned while watching all of the debates, how the presidential candidates talk - they flip-flop opinions so they can get the support of the people who hate the other guy, listening to the news, watching speeches, etc, every single politician and most news media outlets are out for themselves: they want more money and more power over We The People. They don't want to help us. They're all actors who are trained in law school to walk and talk a certain way in front of the camera so they can easily sway the opinion of the person sitting on the couch who just got off work from a long shift who's looking for a change.

 

There isn't a politician in existence who's in it for the people - because if there was they would be put down, beat down, *tin foil hat* killed by people who already are in power.

[qwertywarrior]

American police = "The Erie County sheriff" ....

[NICKT]

I'm sorry but I'm still hung up on the fact police is repeated twice in the topic title.

 

Am I only the only one this bothers?

[Staind]

Do not feed the trolls

[Mooshi]

No one here is denying that we live In a police state, no one is denying that we lack privacy in the US. so why do you insist on acting like we are all dumb to the situation? You have expressed your disdain for the US government on multiple threads, but yet you insist on trying to insult the US members by saying things like 'nice police state guys' like we have the situation under our control?

Unless I'm totally wrong, it's just how I see your attitude towards these topics.

 

I like you.

 

 

I'm glad I'm not the only member that finds this blatant passive aggressive attack on US members to be distasteful and it seems I see the same rants on every other thread. The UK is also a nanny state, many other countries are corrupt as balls. This isn't solely an American issue. Seriously, man. Everytime I see snarky comments like that, it feels I'm on the underaged side of /b/ with the "The real difference between America and Europe" threads. Protip, many countries have their pros and cons. We should band together, not be butts on issues like this.

[Misanthrope]

If you think that I was offended based on my comment than I must assure you that I wasn't. I agree with the OP that we do live in a police state. I hold no pride for my country, and I agree than nationalism is just bullshit propaganda, but the entire blame doesn't deserve to be held on the citizens. The citizens of the US have the least amount of political power, the ones with the most power are corporations because money is voting power according to our legal system. I have given support to campaigns that are trying to change that law, but until that's changed nothing will improve.

I showed support for a president that promised us change but never delivered, yes the man has done some great things but it's not enough.

Mocking our government is warranted, mocking it's citizens is just unfair when they have little control over it. That's my stance I suppose.

 

Making a distinction between Citizens and Government is only really necessary and important for insiders, for outsiders however it's neither necessary nor a responsibility, the rest of the world understands this simple concept and nobody gets offended at criticisms like this.

 

So for the sake of brevity and forum peace, can you guys assume that by "Americans" we mean mostly the government and the rich 1%?

[Askew]

Nice police state guys.

 

You live in the UK, that's a glass house you're throwing stones from.

[jezza39]

So what? Unlike secretive national security agencies, local police still need written warrants, which require the police to demonstrate probable cause, for things like this. Any information, gathered without a warrant is a breach of a persons 4th amendment rights and would be dismissed by a court.

Stop with the moral panic, it's no different from the police gaining warrants for cellphone records and checking locations of calls etc, or checking your GPS in a car.

[Misanthrope]

So what? Unlike secretive national security agencies, local police still need written warrants, which require the police to demonstrate probable cause, for things like this. Any information, gathered without a warrant is a breach of a persons 4th amendment rights and would be dismissed by a court. Stop with the moral panic, it's no different from the police gaining warrants for cellphone records and checking locations of calls etc, or checking your GPS in a car.

 

Bill - "Hey Bob, did that jezza39 guy sounds like a terrorist to you?"

Bob - "Sure does to me Bill, let's go pick em up, no need to bother a judge for a warrant we can pretty much do whatever we want with terrorist scum!"

 

See? Bill and Bob just got around your need for a written warrant, you might later make a case for their probably cause for suspecting terrorism and all but in the meantime you're under arrest.

[NInety]

Everything you need to know about the scum-bag U.S. Government can be found below!

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel

 

http://www.prisonplanet.com/

[jezza39]

Bill - "Hey Bob, did that jezza39 guy sounds like a terrorist to you?"

Bob - "Sure does to me Bill, let's go pick em up, no need to bother a judge for a warrant we can pretty much do whatever we want with terrorist scum!"

 

See? Bill and Bob just got around your need for a written warrant, you might later make a case for their probably cause for suspecting terrorism and all but in the meantime you're under arrest.

 

If taht was the case then it wouldn't matter about local police having the technology? The topic is local police and their access to technology like this, the police would have to abide by the 4th amendment rights against unjustified searches, even the feds need a secret warrant. That would be a federal case, NOT a local police case.

 

Anyhow, there is 0% chance the CIA or NSA or FBI would share anything with Erie County police.

[beebskadoo]

Making a distinction between Citizens and Government is only really necessary and important for insiders, for outsiders however it's neither necessary nor a responsibility, the rest of the world understands this simple concept and nobody gets offended at criticisms like this.

So for the sake of brevity and forum peace, can you guys assume that by "Americans" we mean mostly the government and the rich 1%?

I'm not offended, I just think it was an over generalization of Americans.

[Misanthrope]

I'm not offended, I just think it was an over generalization of Americans.

 

I don't think these days those over generalizations are completely unjustified, but I'll agree that they are generalizations nonetheless.