Friday, June 27, 2014

Secret Weapons and Tactics

Secrecy. That's what is happening in Massachusetts, where there is something called a law enforcement council, or LEC. One of the major functions of a LEC is to run the region's SWAT teams.  LECs also facilitate technology and information sharing and oversee other specialized units, such as crime scene investigators and computer crime specialists. LECs are funded by several police agencies in a given geographic area and overseen by an executive board, which is usually made up of police chiefs from member police departments.

I guess some LECs consider themselves as non-profit organizations and have, in fact, incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations. Now, despite the fact that every aspect of a LEC is funded by the public as part of the city or town's police budget, some LECs have refused to supply information requested by the ACLU. They claim that 501(c)(3) status means that they’re private corporations, not government agencies. And therefore, they say they’re immune from open records requests.

What are they hiding?

No comments: