NYCLU Tries To Shine Light On NYPD's Attack On Privacy

When the NYPD isn't beating down bicyclists, they're busy trying to install cameras to record anything and everything in order to turn our city into a police state. Operation Sentinel is one step towards that goal and not everyone is happy about it (surprise!). The NYCLU is taking the lead in the fight against the cops by trying to uncover some details about the program, but police officials are trying especially hard to stay in out of the public's flashlight.

From The Gothamist:

The NYCLU is concerned because, per the group's associate legal director Christopher Dunn, "the police tracking millions of law-abiding New Yorkers...has profound privacy implications." The NYCLU wants information about the scope of information to be collected, how the police will use the information, who the information will be shared with, what privacy protections will be included, and many more things.

Referring to the reports of Operation Sentinel (aka Operation Photograph Every Single Car in NYC), executive director Donna Lieberman said, "The public and our elected officials can’t keep reading about these programs in the paper." The NYPD's response? Spokesman Paul Browne told the NY Times, "We have already provided the N.Y.C.L.U. with information short of a road map for terrorists to use in another attack on the financial district."

While the cops can respond with childish retorts, people's privacy is a serious matter. Recording every car that goes in and out of the city may be no big deal for those that would call Patrick Henry a terrorist-sympathizer. Though for those that still like to adhere to the Constitution and the ideals of our founding fathers when it comes to the issues of life, liberty and property the pursuit of happiness, Operation Sentinel needs to be closely watched. More so than the NYPD plans to watch us.