Firefighters report people who express discontent with the government

[WhiteFeather]

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Homela...stic_1129.html

Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the government

11/29/2007 @ 10:09 am
Filed by David Edwards and Muriel Kane

was revealed last week that firefighters are being trained to not only keep an eye out for illegal materials in the course of their duties, but even to report back any expression of discontent with the government.

A year ago, Homeland Security gave security clearances to nine New York City fire chiefs and began sharing intelligence with them. Even before that, fire department personnel were being taught "to identify material or behavior that may indicate terrorist activities" and were also "told to be alert for a person who is hostile, uncooperative or expressing hate or discontent with the United States."

Unlike law enforcement officials, firemen can go onto private property without a warrant, not only while fighting fires but also for inspections. "It's the evolution of the fire service," said a Phoenix, AZ fire chief of his information-sharing arrangement with law enforcement.



Keith Olbermann raised the alarm about the program on his show Wednesday, noting that "if the information-sharing program works in New York, the department says it will extend it to other major metropolitan areas, unless we stop them." He then asked Mike German, a former FBI agent who is now with the ACLU, "This program seems to be turning [firefighters], essentially, into legally protected domestic spies, does it not?"

"That's the entire intent," German replied, noting the serious legal issues involved. "There is actually still a fourth amendment," he pointed out, "and what makes a firefighter's search reasonable is that it's done to prevent a fire. If now firefighters are going in with this secondary purpose, that end run around the fourth amendment won't work, and it's likely that they will find themselves in legal trouble."

Olbermann, however, was most strongly concerned about the implications for civil liberties. "Is what disturbs you and the ACLU the same thing that just jumped off the page for me?" he asked. "That one phrase, 'look for people who are expressing hatred of or discontent with the United States?' Discontent?"

German agreed that there are serious first amendment issues raised by the focus of the program on constitutionally-protected literature, such as books that might be considered "terrorist propaganda."

Olbermann asked in conclusion whether firefighters could be used under this program to plant evidence. German agreed that the way it is defined "really plays to people's prejudices and gives them the opportunity to do damage to someone."

[Jelanen]

As a firefighter (volunteer) I think this is a horribly bad idea. FF enjoy a unique degree of respect in many areas that are otherwise hostile to govt employees because we are almost universally acknowledged as being only interested in helping and protecting people, so there are places where we can freely go where cops would be nuts to go. Turning FFs into informants will completely jeopardize our standings with the public and our ability to come and go as we please. Really...what freaking retard came up with this idea....I want to see the NFPA and other national fire and rescue organizations (except the IAFF, they have no credibility with me) come out against this ludicrous idea.

[MarcS]

What if you're an emergency worker who expresses discontent with the government....do i have to report myself as an anti-state dissident now?

[markheck1]

Yes.....you should turn in all your guns to me first, though

Another trade of freedom for false security, In my eyes....

[Agent Smith]

I'm a volunteer firefighter, and if somebody told me I now have to keep an eye out for illegal activity which would be an infringement on someones rights if a police officer or anyone else would do it, I would tell them to go shove it. I'm not having anything to do with that crap.

I take pride in helping people, and I love it when the people I help look up to me, so there is no way in hell that I'm ever going to violate that trust.

[stimpy17]

Son of a B!

[Pa. Patriot]

What if you're an emergency worker who expresses discontent with the government....do i have to report myself as an anti-state dissident now?

We've already reported you...

[MarcS]

We've already reported you...

Oh well...looks like i better load up a few extra mags for the AR.

[jsb889]

I hope that there is no firefighter that would do such a thing. There is no point! They'll probably put people who express "discontent" on a watch list or something. Waste more tax dollars on something completely useless. You shouldn't have to worry about saying "damn Bush" or something similiar in that kind of situation. What happened to the first amendment? "freedom of speech"? Could be argued its not an infringement, but I'll be damned if someone says this isn't complete crap.