Calif. AG questions undercover investigation of peace group (Fresno)

[Kadie]

State AG questions undercover investigation of peace group


4:45 p.m. February 10, 2006

FRESNO – The Fresno County Sheriff's decision to send an undercover deputy to the meetings of a peace organization raised “serious concerns” with the state attorney general, a spokesman said Friday.

snip...
“We are in active discussions with the sheriff's department about resolving our concerns,” said the attorney general's spokesman Nathan Barankin. He explained that there were particular concerns about the “policies that led to the decision to investigate Peace Fresno in an undercover capacity, and the tension between what they did and the privacy rights guaranteed to Californians.”

Fresno County Sheriff Richard Pierce has defended the agency's position, saying the department may visit any place or attend any meeting open to the public to protect against terrorism.

No lawsuits have been filed in connection to this investigation, but Peace Fresno's plight was featured in Michael Moore's anti-war documentary, “Fahrenheit 9/11.”


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060210-1645-ca-policesurveillance.html

[htuttle]

1. Of course they 'may' visit any meeting open to the public'

But one question is, is it a wise and just use of limited police resources to do so? If the undercover squad was at these meetings, there were probably other more important places they were not.

In addition, since these officers were there in an official undercover capacity, that's an entirely different proposition than those officers attending as private citizens. Filling out reports, keeping official files -- those are activities that go beyond the concept of merely 'attending a meeting open to the public'.