4/21/11

Michigan State Police: Data Extraction Device Controversy Clarified

Perhaps you saw this story, on the Drudge Report: "The Michigan State Police have a high-tech mobile forensics device that can be used to extract information from cell phones belonging to motorists stopped for minor traffic violations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan last Wednesday demanded that state officials stop stonewalling freedom of information requests for information on the program."

I asked my Criminal Investigations teacher - a Michigan state trooper - about this. He didn't know anything about the cell phone DED or the ACLU's demands, but he said he's "sure there's some device out there," as he put it. (He's an informal fella.) He also reiterated that a search warrant is needed before phone records can be searched and that "fishing expeditions" for information are frowned upon.

The MSP released a press release, yesterday, due to the public uproar the news report caused. Here's a portion: "The department's internal directive is that the DEDs may only be used by MSP specialty teams on criminal cases, such as crimes against children. The DEDs are not being used to extract citizens' personal information during routine traffic stops."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that the Michigan Staties ought to follow the advice they often give to citizens -- if they have nothing to hide, why not waive the FIOA fees and simply GIVE the information to the ACLU free of charge?

If they have nothing to hide.

TCC said...

From the MSP missive: "Since 2008, the MSP has worked with the ACLU to narrow the focus, and thus reducing the cost, of its initial Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. To date, the MSP has fulfilled at least one ACLU FOIA request on this issue and has several far-lower cost requests awaiting payment to begin processing. The MSP provides information in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. As with any request, there may be a processing fee to search for, retrieve, review, examine, and separate exempt material, if any."

Web Content Extractor said...

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