Reason.com
TIPS II
Suspicious database
The 2002 law that created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explicitly prohibited “the proposed component program of the Citizen Corps known as Operation TIPS,” a project aimed at encouraging Americans to spy and snitch on each other in the name of fighting terrorism. In 2010, however, DHS chief Janet Napolitano bragged about a suspiciously similar program that operates under the slogan “If You See Something, Say Something.”
According to DHS, the effort was “launched
in conjunction with the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting
(SAR) Initiative, an administration effort to train state and local
law enforcement to recognize behaviors and indicators related to
specific threats and terrorism-related crime and report and share
information on suspicious incidents or activity nationally.” Videos
promoting the program were rolled out at some Florida Wal-Mart
checkout counters during the 2010 Christmas season, and DHS plans
to have them in 600 stores in 27 states by the end of 2011.
SAR is aimed at creating a government database of suspicious activities involving people who have not actually been charged with a crime. With nearly 900 state and local agencies contributing reports, more than 160,000 suspicious activity files are in the SAR database, ready to be searched, collated, and crosschecked. According to a December report in The Washington Post, you can get yourself listed in the SAR database through such acts as taking pictures of a boat on a dock.
How many terrorists have been captured thanks to this searchable list of suspicious people? So far, according to the Post, there have been exactly five arrests and no convictions.
More Articles by Brian Doherty
- Is the Ron Paul the Best Hope for Progressives?, Brian Doherty, May 25, 2012
- How Pat Buchanan Conquered America, Brian Doherty, May 17, 2012
- Ron Paul Is Not Ending His Campaign for Liberty, Brian Doherty, May 15, 2012
Most Popular Stories
- St. Louis Cops Worry That In-Car Cameras 'Are Being Used Against Them' (5.23)
- Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat) (5.24)
- Reason "Hero of Freedom" Larry Flynt's Latest Stunt? Photoshopping a Penis into Mouth of Conservative Pundit S.E. Cupp (5.24)
- Plastic Bag Ban Will Put Los Angeles In Landfill (5.23)
- When Government Privileges Trump the Rights of Citizens (5.25)
Reason RUPE: Public Opinion Survey
- Reason-Rupe: Wisconsinites Favor Increasing Public Union Retirement Contributions to Address Budget Deficit (5.25)
- Reason-Rupe Poll Finds Support for Public Union Reforms (5.25)
- New Poll: Obama Leads Romney In Wisconsin, But Gary Johnson Could Impact the Race (5.24)
- Wisconsin Recall: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42 Among Likely Voters (5.24)
- Reason-Rupe Poll: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42, Obama Leads Romney 46-36 (5.24)
advertisements
Get Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsSite comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment or disable your ability to comment for any reason at any time.
The Fringe Economist|4.4.11 @ 7:04PM|#
Good thing we're allowing these programs to absorb all that extra tax money our government isn't using! Oh wait...
daiti|4.11.11 @ 10:04PM|#
( http://www.2kuu.com )
Online Store,Get Name Brand Fashion From 12USD Now!
Lv,Gucci,Prada,Coach,Chanel Women sandal is $30
DG,JUICY,Lv,Gucci,Coach Hand-bag price is $35
Polo,Locaste,Levis,EdHardy,Bape,Christan Audigier AF,COOGI Tshirt price is $12
( http://www.2kuu.com )
Jeans price is $34
Paypal accept,Door to Door services!
5 days arrive your home or you
ur friends’ adress by EMS,DHL,UPs
click my link under here!
قبلة الوداع|8.17.11 @ 10:24PM|#
ThaNk U
دليل|10.8.11 @ 7:17AM|#
asfgasf
geqian|10.17.11 @ 10:44PM|#
ThAnK U