Florida sheriff’s department draws sharp criticism for 'advanced surveillance' program: 'This is insane'
In the Tampa, Florida area, the Pasco County Sheriff's Department has been drawing criticism for an "advanced scrutiny" program in which some residents have been selected for surveillance — even if they aren't actually under investigation for a suspected crime.
Tampa Bay Times reporter Kathleen McGrory explains, "The (Pasco) Sheriff's Office creates lists of people it considers likely to break the law based on criminal histories, social networks and other unspecified intelligence. The agency sends deputies to their homes repeatedly, often without a search warrant or probable cause for an arrest."
According to McGrory, "Targets and their relatives, including four who are now suing the Sheriff's Office in federal court, described the tactics as harassment and a violation of their constitutional rights. National policing experts drew comparisons to child abuse and surveillance that could be expected under an authoritarian regime."
Pasco Sheriff\u2019s Office (FL) creates lists of people it considers likely to break the law based on criminal histories, social networks, etc. The agency sends deputies to their homes repeatedly, often without a search warrant or probable cause for an arrest.https://www.tampabay.com/investigations/2021/07/24/pasco-sheriffs-office-letter-targets-residents-for-increased-accountability/\u00a0\u2026— Julia Davis (@Julia Davis) 1627274717
The Pasco Sheriff's Department launched its "advanced scrutiny" program in 2020, and those who are selected for surveillance are notified via a letter. Raniah Elgendi of the Council of American-Islamic Relations-Florida views the letter as a form of harassment.
McGrory quotes Elgendi as saying, "The letter is basically threatening and promising a certain level of harassment and oversight that is in line with the stories we are hearing from the community. We know that is not what makes people or communities more safe, this heightened level of surveillance."
Bacardi Jackson, managing attorney for Florida at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told the Times that the letter is "so incredibly patronizing and offensive on so many levels."
Reporting on the Pasco Sheriff's Department has drawn a lot of reactions on Twitter. Liberal pundit Jason Johnson, who often appears on MSNBC, tweeted:
Why am I not surprised that Florida would be the first place to develop a Pre-Crime divisionhttps://twitter.com/lib_crusher/status/1419423539329916937\u00a0\u2026— Dr. Jason Johnson (@Dr. Jason Johnson) 1627266223
Here are some other Twitter reactions:
This is fucking insane\nhttps://www.tampabay.com/investigations/2021/07/24/pasco-sheriffs-office-letter-targets-residents-for-increased-accountability/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/Im1aqeBGRk— Handball Enjoyer (@Handball Enjoyer) 1627251918
I'm so glad that I haven't supported Florida with any of my vacation funds for almost 15 years. Essentially FL is creating the real version of Philip K Dick's Minority Report https://twitter.com/juliadavisnews/status/1419519167250763776\u00a0\u2026— The Sum of My Ancestors \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udeb6 (@The Sum of My Ancestors \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udeb6) 1627305862
"Unbiased" lmao\n\nOkay, sheriff's department with a breathtakingly abhorrent record with racism, whatever you say— Jason - Tired Of Stupid Fucks (@Jason - Tired Of Stupid Fucks) 1627304203
This reminds me, I haven't watched Minority Report in a while.\n\nIF WE'RE GALLOPING INTO THE FUTURE WHY CAN'T IT BE STAR TREK INSTEAD OF PHILIP K. DICK???https://www.tampabay.com/investigations/2021/07/24/pasco-sheriffs-office-letter-targets-residents-for-increased-accountability/\u00a0\u2026— Andrew Elliott McBurney (@Andrew Elliott McBurney) 1627264896
This is some 1984, Winter Soldier, Minority Report-type shit wtfhttps://twitter.com/lib_crusher/status/1419423539329916937\u00a0\u2026— it'sBrian (@it'sBrian) 1627269159
Tampa police are building a tinpot police state. They're taking the grades of literal children and putting them in a fucking precrime database!pic.twitter.com/GQeSN3ONWB— Handball Enjoyer (@Handball Enjoyer) 1627252045
