[Politech] A downside of police surveillance and the Web: IDing pot smokers who committed no crime [priv]

From: Declan McCullagh (declan@private)
Date: Fri Apr 28 2006 - 10:59:18 PDT


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	CU-Boulder police using pictures taken from narcs to catch pot 
smokers
Date: 	Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:34:52 -0400
From: 	Allen St. Pierre <allen@private>
To: 	Affiliates ListServ <affiliates@private>


Hello All,

Please see the link below, which will take you to the University of
Colorado-Boulder Police Department's "Pictures of Students Smoking on
4/20" site. CU is offering rewards for students who attended the
traditional 4/20 smoke-out on Farrand Field at CU and who are willing to
snitch.

Does CU do this to underage alcohol drinkers or illegal pill poppers?

http://www.colorado.edu/police/420_Photo_Album/index.htm


This is a very scary use of existing technology and this does not bode well
re public protests (where cannabis is the central organizing theme).

And for what purpose? CO is a decrim state and maybe a $200 civil fine is at
stake for the state. Or, is it really about perpetuating the notion of shame
and the exercise of state power?

-Allen
  NORML


CU Posts Pictures Of Pot-Smoking Event
Reward Offered For Information About People In Photos

POSTED: 3:57 am MDT April 28, 2006
ABC 7 News on-line

BOULDER, Colo. -- University of Colorado police have posted 150 photos
of people attending an annual gathering last week where hundreds smoked
marijuana.

Police are offering $50 rewards for information about the people, many
of whom are shown with hand-rolled cigarettes, glass pipes or bongs.
One young man was photographed while he was streaking.

Authorities said the protesters they were trespassing on Farrand Field,
which is surrounded by several dorms, despite signs and security posted
to keep them away.

About 2,500 people attended the festive event, but police estimated
less than half were using the drug. A local restaurant gave away
sandwiches, while people dressed in costumes and danced to the beat of
drums.

[...remainder snipped...]
_______________________________________________
Politech mailing list
Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/
Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Fri Apr 28 2006 - 11:21:25 PDT