POLICING: Seizing Civil Assets Funds "Off-The-Books" Funds Drone Surveillance in Communities Nation-Wide

How to avoid public oversight and scrutiny when you can't ...do it "off-the-books" until you get caught. Stuff the PD never wanted the public to know is now in the public's hands >

Leaked Emails Show Chicago PD Bought, Deployed Drones Using Off-The-Books Forfeiture Funds

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the forced-transparency-still-more-effective-than-voluntary-transparency dept

Wed, Jun 2nd 2021 1:36pm — Tim Cushing

 

 

"Thanks to the efforts of transparency activists Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), residents of Chicago are learning more about the activities of their sworn protectors, the Chicago Police Department. Stuff the PD never wanted the public to see is now in the public's hands. The Chicago Sun Times has started digging into the stash provided by DDoS and has revealed the PD's secret drone program, paid for with off-the-books funds.

Details of the police department’s drone program were included in an email sent last summer by Karen Conway, director of police research and development. In the email, Conway told other high-ranking police officials that the department’s counter-terrorism bureau “utilized 1505 funds for a pilot Drone program that operates within the parameters of current laws.”

1505 funds are funds the city doesn't control or track. The funds belong solely to the Police Department -- something that happens shortly after the PD takes the funds from the people they used to belong to.

The department’s “1505” fund is made up of forfeiture proceeds — money and other assets seized in connection to criminal investigations. The money isn’t included in the department’s official budget and has reportedly been used in the past to purchase other controversial technology, like Stingrays, which mimic cell towers and send out signals to trick phones into transmitting their locations and other information. 

Asset forfeiture is a great way to get cops the things they want without having to worry about oversight from either the city or its residents. Purchases are almost always "controversial" when they're made with funds that are all but invisible to outsiders.

And there's quite a bit of cash to be spent . . .

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CPD launched secret drone program with off-the-books cash

In an email last summer, a police official reported that its counter-terrorism bureau started a pilot drone program using forfeiture proceeds — money and other assets seized in connection to criminal investigations.

By Tom Schuba and Frank Main | Staff Reporter Updated May 12, 2021, 11:02am CDT

The Chicago Police Department started a secretive drone program using off-budget cash to pay for the new technology, the Sun-Times has learned. . .

EXTRACTED NOTE; The department’s “1505” fund is made up of forfeiture proceeds — money and other assets seized in connection to criminal investigations. The money isn’t included in the department’s official budget and has reportedly been used in the past to purchase other controversial technology, like Stingrays, which mimic cell towers and send out signals to trick phones into transmitting their locations and other information.

Over the past two years, the department reported taking in seized or awarded assets valued at an estimated $25.9 million. That haul stems from investigations into alleged drug crimes and money laundering, but the reports don’t give the full scope of the department’s take because details about seized vehicles were redacted.

The reports state that roughly $7.7 million was spent over that period on operating expenses, witness protection, informant fees and controlled drug buys, as well as travel, meals, conferences, training and continuing education. The spending isn’t itemized, but the reports state that operating expenses can cover vehicles, guns and equipment, such as drones.