NDAA warnings coming true: Police arrest 8 citizens refuse to identify the men they arrested or say what crimes the suspects are accused of committing

California - A week after Oakland police held a news conference to draw attention to Mayor Jean Quan's primary crime-fighting strategy, authorities refused to identify eight men they arrested as part of the program or say what crimes the suspects are accused of committing.

Police said that identifying the eight, arrested Aug. 14 and 15 as part of the Operation Ceasefire initiative to fight violence in Oakland, would harm their investigation and could put the suspects at risk of retaliation from rival groups. Operation Ceasefire seeks to curb violence by offering social services and support to members of gangs or cliques.

But law enforcement experts said that refusing to disclose identities for more than a week is not a common practice.

"I would say it is unusual," said Tony Ribera, a former San Francisco police chief who runs the International Institute of Criminal Justice Leadership at the University of San Francisco. "I certainly can't think of a situation (where I did it), but that certainly doesn't mean they are doing anything illegal. I don't know how they are building their cases."

First Amendment attorneys questioned the rationale for withholding the names of suspects in custody for so long and said doing so can violate their civil rights.

"The very basic rule of law in the United States is that people do not disappear into the hands of police. They do not disappear into the justice system," said Peter Scheer, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition in San Rafael. "It is a fundamental principle in this country that the police have to be transparent about who they have arrested and why."

But police, who promised to release the names next week, said the delay was important.

"We are not going to release the information because it will jeopardize the overall integrity of the investigation," said Officer Johnna Watson, a police spokeswoman. "We know there are still victims out there and we don't want to color their judgment."
http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Secrecy-in-Oakland-on-crime-fighting-strategy-4754816.php

NDAA-type detentions being used in California:

The National Defense Authorization Act strips the right of habeas corpus by applying broad detention power, using terms such as "substantially supported" and "associated forces," thus allowing for the detention of any person, including American citizens on U.S. soil without due process.

Dozens of states and local jurisdictions have continued to move toward nullifying this unconstitutional threat against basic civil liberties and human rights. California is among those who have made significant, bipartisan, nearly unanimous statements to rebuke federal overreach.

However, despite California's apparent advancements toward transparency, the detention of 8 U.S. citizens in Oakland, California is raising concerns among civil liberties experts for its insistence on complete secrecy until the future release of information is determined solely by police.Deferring to police instead of the rule of law is what is called a Police State. The police have unilaterally created a program which seems to sidestep core legal principles and are enforcing it with little to no external oversight. But despite criticism, the department is defiant saying that the program will continue and more arrests will be made, with details being given at a future time of their choosing.

Perhaps this new program serves as an example of the trickle down tyranny that takes place amid a lawless environment where "authorities" are permitted to be the law makers, instead of law enforcers.http://www.activistpost.com/2013/08/ndaa-type-detentions-being-used-in.html#more