U.S. News/Police Violence

Oct 07, 2024

LAPD Defends Unleashing Robot Dog on City, Promises 'Spot' Will Never Be Weaponized
https://www.latintimes.com/lapd-defends-unleashing-robot-dog-city-promises-spot-will-never-weaponized-561214

U.S. Army Testing Robot Dogs Armed with AI-Enabled Rifles in Middle East
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/10/01/army-has-sent-armed-robot-dog-middle-east-testing.html

Detroit Police Chief Calls Trump A Liar: 'Detroit Had 252 Homicides Last Year, The Lowest Number Since 1966.'
"Detroit has experienced a dramatic drop in murders, shootings and other violent crime in recent years, according to city, state and federal statistics. After surging during the pandemic, rates of violent crime have dropped back to where they were in 2019, the numbers show — dramatically lower than they were 10 and 20 years ago. Detroit had 252 homicides last year, the lowest number since 1966."
https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/trump-says-crime-up-fbi-numbers-say-crime-historic-lows-rcna173590

Netanyahu Shows Map of 'New Middle East'—Without Palestine—to UN General Assembly
https://www.commondreams.org/news/netanyahu-map

Inside the State Department’s Weapons Pipeline to Israel
https://www.propublica.org/article/israel-gaza-america-biden-administration-weapons-bombs-state-department

CAIR Says FBI Illegally Interrogating People about Social Media Posts Critical of Israel
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-says-fbi-illegally-interrogating-people-about-social-media-posts-critical-of-israel/

DHS's "2025 Homeland Threat Assessment" Claims Foreign and Domestic, Terror Threats Remain High
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-10/24_320_ia_homeland-threat-assessment-2025-30sep24.pdf

Los Alamos National Laboratory Develops "QUIC-DEPDOSE" to Detect Radiation Plumes in Cities
https://www.lanl.gov/projects/quic/

Republican Senator tells Native American candidate to go back to where she came from, storms out of public event
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/politics-government/2024-10-03/dan-foreman-racism-idaho-nez-perce-candidate-kendrick

The Untold Link Between Supreme Court Justice Alito and Trump’s Election-Denying Efforts
https://theintercept.com/2024/10/03/supreme-court-samuel-alito-law-mark-martin-trump/

Bombshell filing details new allegations of Trump's efforts to overturn election
https://abcnews.go.com/US/bombshell-special-counsel-filing-includes-new-allegations-trumps/story?id=114409494
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/09/27/jack-smith-has-filed-new-evidence-in-trumps-federal-election-case-heres-why-its-still-not-public/

How Meta Brings in Millions Off Political Violence
https://themarkup.org/investigations/2024/10/04/how-meta-brings-in-millions-off-political-violence

WTF? 'Trump Bible' one of few that meet Walters' criteria for Oklahoma classrooms
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/10/04/donald-trump-supported-bible-one-of-few-that-meets-ryan-walters-criteria-for-ok-classrooms/75510021007/

Florida criminalized homelessness. Then Hurricane Helene hit
https://www.vox.com/policy/375765/florida-homelessness-hurricane-helene-encampment-disaster-fema-housing-crisis-storm

Homeless People Have Property Rights Too
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/09/28/phoenix-california-homeless-supreme-court

Judge Denies An Order Sought By A Black Student Who Was Punished Over His Hair
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/darryl-george-barbers-hill-crown-act-houston-19797708.php

Caribbean Airlines and RED Air to use TSA PreCheck facial recognition
https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2024/10/01/tsa-precheckr-program-adds-two-new-airlines

BS Warning: General Services Administration Director says facial recognition login on track to meet key standards
https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2024/10/gsas-identity-service-track-meet-key-standards-program-director-says/400030/

MD State Police to issue policy on using facial recognition

https://www.govtech.com/policy/maryland-policy-will-dictate-police-use-of-facial-recognition

Model Maryland state police policy for facial recognition lacks safeguards ACLU wanted
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/10/02/new-statewide-facial-recognition-technology-policy-for-law-enforcement-sticks-closely-to-state-law/

Cleveland Browns doubles the number of Wicket facial recognition concession stands
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241001805379/en/Cleveland-Browns-Aramark-Sports-Entertainment-and-Wicket-Take-Frictionless-Technology-to-Next-Level-with-Large-Scale-Deployment-of-Express-Access-Concessions

Students Across the Country Call for a Back-to-School Ban on Facial Recognition
https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2024-09-28-students-across-the-country-call-for-a-back-to-school-ban-on-facial-recognition/

Someone Put Facial Recognition onto Meta's Smart Glasses to Instantly ID People

https://www.404media.co/someone-put-facial-recognition-tech-onto-metas-smart-glasses-to-instantly-dox-strangers/

Lawmakers want feds to promote use of digital IDs

https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2024/10/lawmakers-want-government-promote-use-digital-ids/399981

JP Morgan VP boasts that digital IDs can be used worldwide to verify a person's identity
https://www.demystifybiometrics.com/post/achieving-seamless-mdl-interoperability-exploring-the-role-of-digital-trust-service-dts

Incarcerated Protesters Say Federal Prisons Refuse to Release People on Time

https://theappeal.org/fpc-montgomery-first-step-act-sentencing/

The FBI Raided the Wrong Home—the Government Refuses to Pay for the Damage
https://ij.org/press-release/the-fbi-raided-the-wrong-home-the-government-refuses-to-pay-for-the-damage/

DHS Watchdog Repeatedly Misled Congress
https://www.pogo.org/investigations/dhs-watchdog-repeatedly-misled-congress-federal-probe-finds
Watchdog group suggests Biden fire Trump-appointed DHS inspector general
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/03/watchdog-report-cuffari-biden-00182414

Minnesota Supreme Court will decide if police can use geofencing to gather cell phone locations
https://www.courthousenews.com/minnesota-supreme-court-will-decide-if-police-can-use-tech-dragnet-to-gather-cell-phone-locations/

'You can’t hide': The National Reconnaissance Office will have 100 new satellites in orbit by years-end
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2024/10/you-cant-hide-spy-agency-will-have-100-new-sats-orbit-years-end/400047/

Welcome to DARPA’s New Mass Surveillance Control Tool

https://www.activistpost.com/2024/09/welcome-to-darpas-new-mass-surveillance-control-tool.html

Cities across the country are ditching ShotSpotter gunshot detectors. Oakland could be next
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/oakland-shotspotter-contract-19777544.php

Ring adds 24/7 recording to its surveillance cameras
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24259779/ring-24-7-continuous-recording-smart-security-cameras

License Plate Readers Are Creating a Nation-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars
"These images were generated by AI-powered cameras mounted on cars and trucks, initially designed to capture license plates, but which are now photographing political lawn signs outside private homes, individuals wearing T-shirts with text, and vehicles displaying pro-abortion bumper stickers—all while recording the precise locations of these observations. Newly obtained data reviewed by WIRED shows how a tool originally intended for traffic enforcement has evolved into a system capable of monitoring speech protected by the US Constitution."
https://www.wired.com/story/license-plate-readers-political-signs-bumper-stickers/

UTAC: Tactical drone training for law enforcement conference October 21-23
https://share.hsforms.com/1JsubouhRSIOWbyU_EaIh3gd4gh4
https://www.utac.co/

Jacksonville police use drones to spy on people at outdoor community events
"They are good to watch over outdoor community events, concerts and outdoor events. They can be used to be find someone who is missing before they turn up deceased. The potential uses are almost infinite," Jacksonville Fire Chief Matt Summers said.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/jacksonville-police-drone-search-19789821.php

Drones called ‘game-changer’ for policing — but is the Chicago PD late to the game?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/09/30/drones-chicago-police-technology-surveillance-privacy-civil-liberties-events-pride-lollapalooza-dnc

Maine police surveillance policies inadequate (drones)
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/maine-flying-blind-police-technology

House Committee Lawmakers Urge Fairfax County to Stop Using DJI Drones
https://selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov/media/letters/letter-fairfax-county-requesting-they-cease-using-ccp-aligned-dji-drones

A horde of drones flew over Staten Island to allegedly prepare for 'next Superstorm Sandy'
https://nypost.com/2024/10/01/us-news/nyc-flies-horde-of-drones-in-largest-ever-coastal-storm-drill-to-prepare-for-next-superstorm-sandy/

Police Violence

Chinese hackers breached US court wiretap systems
https://www.wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/u-s-wiretap-systems-targeted-in-china-linked-hack-327fc63b

Trump (Federalist Society) Judge Proves Again That She's One Of America's Least Qualified Jurists

https://abovethelaw.com/2024/10/trump-judge-proves-again-why-shes-known-as-one-of-americas-least-qualified-jurists/

John Oliver on Federalist Society Judges

MAGA judge known as "Lady Trump" convicted of stealing $70k from fallen cop's memorial fund
https://apnews.com/article/republican-michele-fiore-guilty-wire-fraud-nevada-5844d79dacf0bfd6b43d36e03eb6cd95

VT prosecutor drops DUI charge against lawmaker

Rep. Jim Carroll, 62, was arrested on the morning of Feb. 21 on suspicion of drunken driving after a traffic stop outside the Vermont Statehouse that stemmed from Carroll’s loud car exhaust, according to charging documents.
https://vtdigger.org/2024/09/30/prosecutor-drops-dui-charge-against-bennington-lawmaker-after-completion-of-programs/

Judge denies qualified immunity for five Kansas correctional cops charged with excessive force that lead to the death of a teen
https://www.courthousenews.com/kansas-correctional-officers-not-immune-to-excessive-force-claims-for-death-of-in-custody-teen/

Civil Rights Attorney Sues Judges Over Gag Order Barring Him From Talking About a Notorious Prison
https://ij.org/press-release/civil-rights-attorney-silenced-by-gag-order-fights-back-with-first-amendment-lawsuit/

1,600 Executed in U.S. Since Reinstatement of Death Penalty
https://www.statista.com/chart/7397/us-executions-fell-to-a-25-year-low-in-2016/

DISGUSTED: Cops In Breonna Taylor Murder Case Indicted Again After Judge Dropped Charges, Blamed Boyfriend
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/breonna-taylor-officers-indicted-again_n_66fd6ce1e4b0ccc050c56f35

DISGUSTED: Jury Acquits 2 Officers Of Violating Tyre Nichols’ Civil Rights
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tyre-nichols-trial-conviction_n_66faf100e4b0a61d19bebf6e

BS WARNING: Lying Houston cop convicted of murder suffers medical emergency during sentencing
https://www.courthousenews.com/houston-officer-convicted-of-murder-suffers-medical-emergency-during-sentencing/

Grand Jury To Decide If Virginia Cops Can Kill Unarmed Shoplifting Suspects
https://wtop.com/national/2024/10/manslaughter-case-in-fatal-police-shooting-outside-virginia-mall-goes-to-jury/

Off-Duty Atlanta detective killed trying to break into a person's home
https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/atlanta-police-detective-dead-after-allegedly-breaking-into-douglas-home/3OIZZEAZIFDYNAZBJ7YID6U7TM/

Fearing Major Lawsuit NYPD Commander Promises Locals ‘Tactical Simulator’ to Show Policing Challenges
https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/10/03/police-shooting-sutter-avenue-tactical-simulator/

Innocent bystander shot in head by NYPD Cops to sue for $80M
https://nypost.com/2024/10/03/us-news/bystander-hit-in-head-by-nypd-friendly-fire-to-sue-nyc-for-80m-lawyer/

Driver paralyzed in off-duty NYPD road-rage shooting sues city
https://nypost.com/2024/10/02/us-news/driver-paralyzed-in-off-duty-nypd-road-rage-shooting-sues-city-hes-just-like-a-baby-now/

Off-Duty NYPD cop arrested on larceny charges
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2024/10/03/off-duty-nypd-officer-arrested-on-larceny-charges-in-brooklyn/
NYPD cop fined for harassing frequent 311 caller with phone messages imitating women, sheep, dolphins and seals
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/nyregion/nypd-officer-harassment-dolphin-noises.html

Secretive Off-Duty NYPD Auxiliary Cop Arrested for Criminal Mischief
"Details for auxiliary police officers do not appear to be listed in the NYPD’s online database so we do not know to which precinct Mojica was assigned. We’ve asked the NYPD and will share any updates we receive."
https://www.norwoodnews.org/off-duty-auxiliary-police-officer-arrested-for-criminal-mischief-in-49th-precinct/

Appeals Court Rules The NYPD Civilian Complaint Review Board Can Punish Cops Who Turn Off Their Body Cams

https://nypost.com/2024/09/30/us-news/ccrb-can-punish-cops-who-turn-off-body-cams-and-also-initiate-probes-without-complaints-appeals-court/

Appeals Court Rules Ohio Cops Can't Arrest People Based On A "Suspicious Vehicle" Call Without Probable Cause
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/1/2024/2024-Ohio-4770.pdf

Mass. cop found guilty of child rape, indecent assault
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/former-dartmouth-police-officer-to-be-sentenced-in-child-rape-case/3508062/

SC cop charged with felony sex crime involving teenage girl

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article293416349.html

NY cop charged with sex abuse, burglary
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/news/2024/10/03/da--ex-saugerties-police-officer-charged-with-sex-abuse--burglary

NJ Cop Arrested for Weapon Possession and Assault Conspiracy
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/wayne/sections/passaic-county-news/articles/paterson-police-officer-arrested-for-weapon-possession-and-assault-conspiracy-2

Mass. realtor handcuffed by Stoneham detectives responding to 911 call can continue lawsuit

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/09/30/realtor-handcuffed-by-stoneham-detectives-responding-to-911-call-can-continue-lawsuit-against-town-judge-rules/

Louisiana cop arrested for selling drugs

https://www.kplctv.com/2024/10/03/natchitoches-police-officer-arrested-narcotics-investigation/

Chicago detective arrested, charged with domestic violence
https://abc7chicago.com/post/joliet-police-detective-peter-ranstead-arrested-charged-domestic-violence-after-woodiris-drive-incident-officials/15386416/

Austin Texas cop arrested for physically assaulting girlfriend
https://www.kxan.com/news/apd-officer-arrested-in-new-braunfels-statement-says/

Houston cop arrested for assault after less than two months on the job
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/crime/2024/10/03/501897/hpd-officer-arrested-for-assault-after-less-than-two-months-on-the-job/