Jury Convicts Chicago Police Officer of 2nd-degree Murder for On-Duty Shooting

A jury on Friday convicted Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke of second-degree murder in the 2014 shooting of teenager Laquan McDonald.

Van Dyke was charged with first degree-murder in the October 2014 killing, a charge that requires a finding that the shooting was unnecessary and unreasonable. The judge told jurors the second-degree charge was also available, requiring them to find Van Dyke believed his life was in danger but that the belief was unreasonable.

Jurors also convicted him of aggravated battery, but acquitted him of official misconduct. It's the first time in half a century that a Chicago police officer has been convicted of murder for an on-duty death.

McDonald was carrying a knife when Van Dyke fired 16 shots into the 17-year-old as he walked away from police.

Van Dyke was the first Chicago police officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in more than 50 years. That case, which also involved an officer shooting someone with a knife, ended in conviction in 1970.  (Q13 News, October 5, 2018)
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A police officer on the street has just seconds to make a decision, but a jury hearing a case will have days, weeks, or even months to review the evidence and make a determination as to whether the police officer's use of force was justified.

We recently saw a Lynnwood, WA civil settlement of $1.75-million in a police involved shooting.

On Friday (October 5, 2018), the city of Philadelphia also agreed to pay $1 million to the family of David Jones, a black man who was shot and killed by an on-duty white police officer last summer following a traffic stop in Northeast Philadelphia. The now former officer is facing murder charges.

And as we see with the above cases and in the Chicago case leading this blog post, juries are returning verdicts against police officers who shoot individuals who do not pose a clear and immediate danger to the officer or others in the area. An item of interest in these shooting (although not specifically identified as affecting the jury's decisions) is the number of times a police officer shoots a person. Police officers are often firing multiple shots (16 in the Chicago case) at individuals, giving the impression that the intent of the officer is to kill and not self-defense.

In November residents of Washington state will vote on I-940, which if passed into law will make it easier to prosecute police officers in Washington when / if they shoot someone in the performance of their duties. The question residents of Washington must ask themselves is should police officers be immune from murder charges, or subject to criminal prosecution for killing someone in the line of duty as we have just seen in Chicago.

Pulled Over While Connected: Siri Can Quietly Video Record the Police

Just say, "Hey Siri, I'm getting pulled over."

One of the latest apps to hit the iOS 12 mobile highway is Shortcuts. With it, users can plot out a series of actions and trigger them by signaling the voice-assistant. One savvy user created an add-on called Police that can give drivers added security during traffic stops.

The brainchild of Redditer Robert Petersen of Arizona, Police was created to covertly record law enforcement officials to "keep everyone safe and honest."

“I have noticed in reading news articles and seeing reports on TV that in many cases you end up with police saying one thing happened and the citizen being pulled over saying another,” Petersen said to USA TODAY. “And how do you determine truth? Sometimes the police have body cams, sometimes not, and even when they do it’s not always released in a timely manner.”

How does the shortcut work?

Once Siri is alerted about the traffic stop, the program springs into action to pause any music that may be playing, turn down your screen brightness and puts your phone in Do Not Disturb mode. Siri then sends a text message to a designated emergency contact to let them know what’s happening.

Once users stop the recording, a copy of the video is sent to a specified contact, the brightness returns to normal, and Do Not Disturb is disabled, Petersen said.  (King 5 News, October 4, 2018)
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"Shortcuts" lets you create other voice activated shortcuts as well. You can run an app, or a series of apps, to accomplish whatever tasks you wish.

 

Interview with Andy Yen the Founder of ProtonMail, 9 Short Statements on Privacy

Andy Yen the founder of ProtonMail discusses privacy in nine short statements.

Why focus on privacy? Andy Yen Interview Part 1 of 9 (1:16)

Why Privacy Matters Today: Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 2 of 9 (2:36)

Why Email is Important for Privacy: Andy Yen Interview Part 3 of 9 (1:58)

Individual Privacy vs. State Security: Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 4 of 9 (1:31)

The Most Promising Developments in Privacy: Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 5 of 9 (1:08)

What's more difficult? Business or Physics? Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 6 of 9  (1:03)

Internet Privacy Matters More Than Ever: Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 7 of 9 (1:11)

The Use and Misuse of Blockchain: Interview with Andy Yen of ProtonMail, Part 8 of 9 (1:15)

The Future of Privacy, Worst & Best Case Scenarios: Interview with Andy Yen, Part 9 of 9  (2:21)

Security Training, Education and Professionalization Portal (STEPP)

Security Training, Education and Professionalization Portal (STEPP) has moved to a new site. https://cdse.usalearning.gov STEPP is a government learning management system where you are able to take security courses designed for the Department of Defense and other U.S. Government personnel and contractors within the National Industrial Security Program.

STEPP allows individuals outside of the U.S. government to register for an account and access some courses.

Army Veteran Mocked and Left to Die By Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputies

An Army veteran was left to die from a drug overdose while in the custody of the Clackamas County [Oregon] Sheriff’s Office, as deputies laughed and filmed the entire ordeal, according to videos released Thursday.

Bryan Perry, a 31-year-old Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was arrested along with his girlfriend on suspicion of drug use. In the video, he is seen thrashing and groaning in pain while in custody, while Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office deputies are heard laughing and mocking his behavior.

Perry became unresponsive around 11:45 pm and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 12:16 am. An autopsy revealed that Perry had amphetamines and methamphetamines in his system at the time of his death.

The video and documents only came to light following a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Perry’s family and a resulting public records request from The Oregonian newspaper.  (Oregon Live, October 4, 2018)
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Although Bryan Perry died a couple of years ago (2016) while in the custody of the Clackamas County Sheriff, the circumstances surrounding his death have just come to light this week with release of video in a wrongful death lawsuit.

While additional facts surrounding this incident will no doubt come to light during the lawsuit, I find it concerning that the video appears to show deputies denying Perry medical attention, and mocking him as he writhes in pain in his cell.

King County Reveals Police Shooting Inquiry Reforms

King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled new reforms on how officer-involved shootings are investigated at the county level.

So far nine inquests have been put on hold in King County while officials worked with community members and other government agencies helped to draft changes.

The inquest process was sometimes called unfair by families whose loved ones died at the hands of law enforcement during officer-involved shootings.

Before Wednesday’s reform, inquests looked into whether or not the officers involved in a shooting felt their lives were in danger. Now, inquests will instead determine if involved officers followed their department’s training or policies.

One of the 9 inquests currently on hold is the King County Sheriff’s Office officer-involved shooting death of Tommy Le.

The department’s own review already determined his shooting was justified when they thought he was carrying a gun – but he wasn’t, he was only carrying a pen.

Constantine says the 9 inquests currently on hold will benefit from Wednesday’s reforms, adding that hearings will likely resume in early 2019. Constantine also said his office will pay close attention to I-940 to make sure the inquiry process follows state law.  (Q13 Fox News, October 3, 2018)

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Details of the changes to police shooting inquiries can be found on the King County web-site.

Lynnwood Pays $1.75 million to Settle Police Shooting Lawsuit

The family of man shot and killed by Lynnwood police has settled a lawsuit against the officer for $1.75 million.

The Seattle Times reports that a dozen witnesses questioned the actions of Officer Zachary Yates who fatally shot 36-year-old Jeremy Dowell, a man with mental-health issues, in January 2017 as he ran back and forth across Highway 99 while wielding a knife.

Seattle attorneys Ed Budge and Erik Heipt filed the federal lawsuit in May, calling the officer's actions outrageous. Witnesses disputed the official version of events, with many saying Dowell never directly threatened Yates and that Yates kept shooting even when Dowell was helpless or stumbling.

The city of Lynnwood's insurance risk pool paid the settlement. The city made no admission of wrongdoing on the officer's part.  (KOMO 4 News, October 4, 2018)
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Suspect in SC Shooting Disbarred Lawyer, Vietnam Veteran.

According to Police One, (October 4, 2018) a Vietnam veteran who bragged online about maintaining his target-shooting skills was being held Thursday in the shooting of 7 law enforcement officers, one of whom died, after deputies tried to serve a search warrant at his home.

Authorities said Frederick Hopkins opened fire on the deputies from inside the home and held children hostage while shooting long-range at other officers who rushed to the suburban neighborhood.

Records show Hopkins, 74, is a disabled Vietnam veteran and disbarred lawyer who has faced several charges in recent years, starting with a 2014 count of disorderly conduct.

Authorities have not described what weapons were involved, but Hopkins apparently owned several guns, including an M-14 rifle. A 2014 post on his Facebook page said he celebrated his 70th birthday at a shooting range by repeatedly firing his M-14, set up exactly like the one he used in Vietnam.

The slain officer, Terrence Carraway, 52, of Darlington, had just been honored for his 30 years of service with the Florence Police Department.

RIP Sgt. Carraway

 

 



Barricaded Man Who Prompted Tacoma Standoff Was Unarmed, Police Say

A man who barricaded himself in a Tacoma shed Tuesday after being shot at by a Pierce County sheriff’s deputy was unarmed and tried to kill himself before he was taken into custody, court records state.

Kelly Gruver Jr., 36, was charged Wednesday with trying to elude a pursuing police vehicle, obstructing a law enforcement officer and third-degree driving on a suspended license.

The pursuit and ensuing SWAT standoff Tuesday put three Tacoma schools on lockdown and shut down a neighborhood for more than an hour.

Although a sheriff’s spokesman initially said Gruver exchanged gunfire with the deputy, it does not appear he was armed.

A police officer was leaving Baker Middle School when he saw the deputy chasing a Jeep. He followed in case he was needed, keeping some distance behind them.

When he came to the area where the Jeep crashed, the officer said, he saw the deputy, gun in hand, near the front of his patrol car and giving Gruver commands. Within seconds, the deputy fired two shots toward Gruver, who ran into a shed.

After the incident, the deputy who fired shots at Gruver was placed on paid administrative leave, standard procedure when a deputy fires his on-duty weapon. (Tacoma News Tribune, October 3, 2018)
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If Gruver had a handgun and shot at the deputy as originally claimed, then there is a firearm abandoned somewhere near the site where Gruver crashed the Jeep. 

Firefox Monitor Has Launched

On July 5, 2018 I posted that Firefox was preparing a new application to allow users to determine whether their e-mail addresses had been included in a data breach.

Firefox Monitor is now available! 

Use Firefox Monitor to determine whether your e-mail address has been previously compromised, and sign up for monitoring to be notified if it is included in some future data breach.
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Dangerous Prank Called 'Swatting' Worries Seattle Police

Seattle police are grappling with a new and potentially dangerous kind of prank called 'swatting.' That's where the prankster calls 9-1-1 on a friend or unsuspecting enemy and reports a fake crime like hostage situations, shootings or other acts of violence.

The idea is to scare the intended victim by sending police to their home, sometimes with weapons drawn. A Wichita, Kansas man was killed last year in a 'swatting' call.

On Monday, a California man was arraigned in federal court on charges in connection with a swatting call that turned deadly in Kansas. The man called Wichita police from Los Angeles late last year to report a shooting and kidnapping at a Wichita home, investigators said. When police showed up, they killed a 28-year-old man when he opened the door. The man was not the intended target of the hoax call, police said.  (KOMO 4 News, October 1, 2018)
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In the case of the man killed by police in the swatting incident in Wichita, a police sniper killed the occupant of the home when he answered the door. The sniper claimed that the man was reaching for a gun at his waist. There was no gun!

In Seattle, the police have set up a 'Smart 911' system that allows Seattle residents to register information with the police department that will be seen by police dispatchers. This system can be used if you are concerned about swatting, or if you have other concerns such as a deaf person living at a residence who could not hear commands from police.

Assassination Attempt? Suspected Ricin Detected in Mail Sent to President Trump

The Secret Service confirmed Tuesday evening that it intercepted a package suspected of containing ricin addressed to President Donald Trump.

An envelope addressed to President Donald Trump contained a substance suspected to be ricin and appeared to be connected to similar envelopes sent to the Pentagon, a law enforcement source told CNN.

Two pieces of mail delivered to the Pentagon mail facility on Monday have initially tested positive for ricin, according to a US defense official. The two suspicious envelopes sent to the Pentagon were addressed to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and to chief of naval operations, Adm. John Richardson, the official told CNN.

Ricin is a highly toxic compound extracted from castor beans that has been used in terror plots. It can be used in powder, pellet, mist or acid form. If ingested, it causes nausea, vomiting and internal bleeding of the stomach and intestines, followed by failure of the liver, spleen and kidneys, and death by collapse of the circulatory system.  (Q13 Fox, October 2, 2018)
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SVB 500 GunVault: Opened With A Gum Wrapper

So you want to store your handgun in a safe, but still have it quickly available when needed? Maybe you go out and purchase the SVB 500 GunVault. It seems like a good option and has a couple thousand positive reviews on Amazon.

But there is one small (or not so small) problem with the biometric version of this gun safe.
It can be opened with a gum wrapper, as demonstrated on the Vimeo Video.

Bypassing most electronic locks is a fairly simple procedure once you understand how they work. Mechanical locks are not much better since most of them can be easily picked.

Isn't some kind of gun safe better than none at all? In many cases I would say yes, some security is better than none at all. But then we have the problem of laws like WA I-1639 which if passed would hold gun owners responsible if their guns are stolen.

You buy a gun safe, lock up your gun, and some smart criminal (or anybody with a stick of gum and an Internet connect) is able to steal you gun with "no signs of forced entry". How long before some corrupt police department or anti-gun prosecutor starts charging law abiding gun owners because their gun was stolen from a gun safe?

Now responsible police officers know that I-1639 will do nothing to stop crime. In fact the WA State Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association said, "Initiative 1639 is being promoted as a public safety measure; those actually working law enforcement know that IT WILL DO NOTHING TO STOP A SINGLE CRIME. This initiative has nothing to do with "assault weapons" and is directed only at our good citizens who already pass multiple background checks before owning a firearm. I-1639 is an attack on civil rights and is an attempt to marginalize all firearm owners, including law enforcement officers. I-1639 will impair public safety, embolden criminals and impose burdensome restrictions on our most law-abiding citizens."

Uber to Pay $2.2 Million to Its WA State Drivers Over Data Breach

Uber drivers in Washington state who were affected by a 2016 data breach will receive more than $2.2 million under terms of a judgment filed Thursday in King County Superior Court.

The judgment resolves a lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson against the international ride-sharing company over the data breach, as well as an investigation into Uber’s data security practices.

The breach affected more than 57 million drivers and passengers worldwide, including nearly 13,000 Uber drivers in Washington state. Uber waited more than a year before it revealed the breach publicly or notified the Attorney General’s Office. Most Washingtonians who drove for Uber in 2013 and 2014 will each receive $170.

The money for drivers is part of about $5.8 million Uber will pay for violating Washington state’s data breach notification law and for failing to adequately safeguard the personal data of Uber drivers.  (KOMO 4 news, September 26, 2018)
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I previously posted about the Uber Data Breach on December 2, 2017. While this settlement with Uber may give each of its drivers $170, and Uber has also offered free credit monitoring, this does not recover the data lost by Uber.

Data breaches are not unique to Uber. Anytime that you provide your personal information to a business or to a government agency, there is a high probability that your personal information will be compromised at sometime in the future. When it comes to data breaches it is not a question of "IF" there will be a breach, it is just a question of "WHEN".

Man in Medical Distress Dies After Police Shoot Him With Taser

According to KOMO 4 news (September 29, 2018) a Pasco, WA man has died just hours after a Kennewick police officer tried to use a stun gun on him during an arrest.

Police Sgt. Ken Lattin tells the Tri-City Herald that the unidentified officer arrived before paramedics for a call about someone who appeared to be in medical distress and saw the man had a knife.

Lattin says 27-year-old Nicolas Garza was acting abnormally and wouldn't drop the knife.

Lattin says the officer fired his stun gun but it didn't work properly or didn't fully connect.
Garza was transported to a hospital where he died late Friday.

Benton County Deputy Coroner Bill Leach says an autopsy is planned.

He died at the hospital hours later, said Benton County Deputy Coroner Bill Leach.
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In August 2017, Reuters found 1,005 people in the U.S. have died after police stunned them with Tasers. In the most thorough accounting to date of fatal police encounters involving the paralyzing stun guns, Reuters found that nine in 10 of those who died were unarmed and one in four suffered from mental illness or neurological disorders.

Was the Kennewick police officer justified in using a Taser on the man in the above news report? Yes probably. The man was holding a knife and couldn't be treated by paramedics until he was disarmed.

What is important to understand here is that while a Taser is generally non-lethal (every police officer who carries a Taser has also been shocked with it during training / certification) people do die from being shocked with a Taser. Tasers should never be used when lesser means are available - as we saw when a Taser was Used on 11-year-old Girl Who Stole Food From a Kroger Store.

Tasers are a less-lethal option for police, but we should not consider the Taser to be non-lethal since more than 1000 people have died after being "Tased" by police.

Sergeant Who Faced Retaliation for Exposing Bad Detective Gets $235,000

 

Clackamas County has agreed to a $235,000 settlement with a Sheriff's Office sergeant who alleged agency supervisors created a hostile work environment after he complained about a veteran detective who ignored sexual assault and child abuse cases. County commissioners approved the payout Thursday.

"I hope this entire sequence of events reinforces what I have believed -- that law enforcement's authority depends on the consent and support of the public. And that law enforcement is not above the law," Sgt. Matt Swanson said in a statement.

Swanson filed the whistleblower lawsuit against the county earlier this year, naming Roberts and Undersheriff Matt Ellington, who retired last month.

Swanson alleged he was subjected to retaliation and harassment after trying in 2015 to initiate an internal affairs investigation into Detective Jeff Green.

Word of Swanson's internal affairs complaint was spread by agency brass "for the specific purpose of putting pressure" on him to withdraw it "and play ball with the command staff to cover up Det. Green's illegal activities," according to the suit. (Oregon Live, September 27, 2018)
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When department leadership abuses its authority it will ultimately end up paying a hefty price. A hostile work environment adversely affects everyone. Congressional investigations, whistle blower lawsuits, and unfair labor practice suits are all possibilities when management abuses its authority.

I am glad to see that SGT Swanson received this settlement. If personnel in more agencies would stand up against department misconduct and abuse by management, I think that we would start to see greater trust in our officers and deputies by the community at large. 

 

Asymmetric Warfare Group Travel Awareness Handbook

As globalization rapidly condenses physical and digital spaces, the virtual space to reach out across the world has become more dense and complex. Methods and means of cheaper more efficient travel draw the world closer. The interconnectedness of the United States Army to the world has made it necessary for habitual visits to bolster relationships with partner countries. These global partnerships require the United States Army to move its leaders and Soldiers to unfamiliar areas on a routine basis. Official travel has become a part of the decision calculus for commanders sending Soldiers on missions. Because of travel’s inherent operational risk, travelers should observe the methods, means, and best practices to prevent or mitigate this risk, before, during, or after travel to ensure mission success.

Many of the United States Army’s relationships leverage burgeoning and legacy technology for conducting meetings or conferences in a virtual domain. The virtual realm compensates for the inability to be physically present. Even as the United States Army uses technology to continue engagement when they cannot do so in person, face-to-face engagement remains optimal. Additionally, while strategies and methodologies for virtual training continue to develop, real world exercises will remain and require moving United States Army personnel around the world.

The means and capability exist for the United States Army to utilize direct travel to foreign countries on a regular basis. How do we prepare for the associated risks? Efficiency, commonsense and deliberate forethought. This handbook will review pre-travel planning considerations for staff planners to supplement their mission analysis. It will also provide considerations for operational security (OPSEC), cyber awareness, hotel selection, and hotel room considerations, as well as an example trip emergency plan.

This handbook seeks to present the current best practices and codify topics to consider from pre- travel to post travel operations. This handbook will describe available and resident capabilities within a traveler’s operational environment and applications of learned best practices using vignettes of real world situations. This handbook should serve as a supplement, not a replacement to mandatory 350-1 AT Level 1.. The world presents ever-evolving risks when placing Soldiers in unfamiliar environments. The United States Army must be highly active in adapting to this need/challenge and become comfortable with worldwide movement by capturing and learning from best practices. This handbook seeks to address known travel vulnerabilities and to prepare United States personnel, in order to mitigate risk. Applying critical thought and analysis prior to any mission is a common foundation for preparation. The idea of reinforcing a possible vulnerability is noted in Epitoma Rei Militaris (Epitome of Military Science) by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, in which he states, “The part which the enemy is expected to approach one should be particularly careful to reinforce.”
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In April 2018 the Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) published a restricted (FOUO) Travel Awareness Handbook. I contacted AWG and requested a public version of the handbook.

AWG has now made the Travel Awareness Handbook releasable to the public, and I have included a copy in my Google Drive for anyone that wants it.

Murdered JBLM Soldier in Burien - $11,000 Reward

The family of Sgt. Timothy Hovey, a JBLM Soldier, is hoping an $11,000 reward will help identify his killer.  

Detectives say the 27-year-old had been at the party morning of September 4th, 2016 at S128th Street and 21st Ave S in Burien. He decided to go for a walk.  His friends found him a couple of blocks away lying on the side of the road with multiple gunshot wounds.  He later died at Harborview Hospital.

Detectives don’t know if he was targeted or if it was random.

“We know people know who shot and killed Sgt. Hovey, but we need the help of the public to try to identify that. The detective that’s assigned the case says, ‘I’ve got some tips I’ve followed up on, but right now I’m kind of stuck, so I’m hoping that somebody comes forward,'” said King County Sgt. Ryan Abbott.

Sgt. Hovey’s family is offering $10,000 and Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is adding an additional $1,000.  (Q13 Fox news, September 30, 2018)
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Although the murder of SGT Hovey occurred a couple of years ago, the police seem to be stuck in their investigation. The family is offering a reward for information leading the arrest of the person who killed SGT Hovey.

If you know who killed SGT Hovey or saw a suspicious vehicle that night, call the Crime Stoppers hot line anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). 

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

2018 marks the 15th year of National Cyber Security Awareness Month - observed every October, it was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online.
Cyber Security is an essential topic for everyone. Whether you are concerned with hackers breaking into your network, cyber-criminals stealing your data, the seemingly never-ending series of data breaches, or some out-of-control government employee keeping secret and hidden files about you in a basement office somewhere - improving your cyber security awareness can help you combat these threats.

The following on-line courses can help you become more cyber security aware:

Introduction to Cyber Security

TEEX Cyber Security

The Complete Cyber Security Course (Nathan House)

Inmates Denied Medical Attention After Being Pepper Sprayed in Prison

According to Willamette Week, (September 25, 2018) Twenty lawsuits allege Oregon prison guards refused to allow inmates to shower for hours or even days after spraying them with pepper spray.

Plaintiffs say Snake River Correctional Institution officials refused to provide adequate medical treatment after spraying inmates with pepper spray.

ODOC settled two similar suits in 2016 for $13,500 each, but a spokeswoman says the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.
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The use of pepper spray to "torture" inmates is not limited to the Snake River Correctional Institution. Multiple other cases show misuse of pepper spray by correctional personnel:

Georgia prison guard fired for strapping inmate to chair and pepper spraying him

Judge: Using Pepper Spray on Mentally Ill Inmates 'Horrific'

Video from US prison shows inmate held down, pepper sprayed at close range

Some will no doubt object to the use of the word "torture", but as we look at these cases, what else do you call it? Individuals soaked with OC and left for hours or days unable to wash it off. Prisoners strapped to a restraint chair and then pepper-sprayed! 

Emails Reveal Berkeley Police Doxxed Antifascists and Celebrated Retweets

Berkeley Police’s bizzare and highly controversial practice of publishing the names of protesters on social media is once again in the news after Lucy Parsons Labs obtained internal emails that shine light into their decision making. The documents reveal the City’s Public Information Officer working alongside the Chief of Police to create a propaganda campaign favorable to the police. The City also kept track of the number of retweets, likes and other forms of “engagement”.

One email, titled “info flow from Jail to Twitter”, described the protocol for posting mugshots on social media. In the same thread, the Public Information Officer states there may be “legal concerns about the mugshot posting” [emphasis added] before describing how they intend to publish them. The documents further describe Berkeley Police’s policy to only post mugshots of people arrested at protests. Working alongside the City Attorney, they crafted the specific language to post on social media. (Lucy Parsons Labs, September 18, 2018)
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Should police departments publish mugshots on-line? Generally speaking, I believe that the answer to that question should be NO! An arrest is not a conviction, and once a mugshot is published on-line it could be there forever. Even if taken down at a later date, there is noting to prevent these photographs from being copied and reposted while they are on-line.

It is also most definitely not the job of the police to dox, shame, or publicize the actions of others in the community because of their political activities - even when those activities violate the law. Punishment for violation of the law is determined by the courts, not by the police.

 

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