Below is an article I wrote this morning concerning a topic that's been on my mind for a few days, private corporate involvement with domestic
civilian law enforcement. I have always been opposed to this and have recently seen quite a few examples of it in action. This article is woefully
short considering all that may be discussed in regards to the topic but it serves the purpose of portraying my opinion.
The Implications of Private Corporate Involvement With Civilian Law Enforcement.
by N.E. Wood
Traffic had turned the highway into a parking lot as the day came to a close, commuters wishing for an expediant ride home found themselves in a
quagmire caused by the UN Meeting. Driving into Manhatten from the Queensborro Bridge it was clear that somthign was going on. Helicopters hovered
in holding positions over the east side while others circled the surrounding areas trying to get the best shot for the evening news. Gently floating
through the fall air a few blocks downtown from the UN was a common sight, the FujiFilm blimp, only this is not the anachronistic marketing device
we're used to seeing. It is an advance surveillance platform employing the latest in imaging technology developed by FujiFilm and the whole package
is on loan to the New York Police Department. The problem here is not the insideousnous of Big Brother masquerading as a seemingly innocent part of
the New York skyline but it is the fact that an element of the police force is now under private corporate control. This problem is not an isolated
event, the United Sates Government has been open about it's use of Private Military Corporations such as BlackWater, whose operatives are called
"contactors" by the mainstream media, both in Iraq and New Orleans. The use of such private firms opens a new resource of highly trained,
experienced, battle hardened professional personnal who are readily familiar with even the most modern battle technology such as the UAVs and are a
valuable resource in any international conflict. However the domestic use of such private security firms should be an issue of worry among the
American people.
The 21st century has shown us new heights of corporate profits never before imagined by the robber barons of years past. Companies such as Microsoft
claim financial worth in numbers that did not exist in monetary amounts only a few decades ago. Although many of these corporations hold little land
their power and influence is palpable with an economic influence exceeding that of many small countries and employment numbers on par with major
cities. It is plain, to even the illiterate, that the sole purpose of a corporation is the accumulation of wealth for the elite and priveledged few
at the top, generally at the cost of those below. America has become a nation ruled by two governments, one justly and legally created by the people
for the direct purpose of serving the people, the other has come to power through force, influence, and intimidation. This problem would be easily
rectified if not for the fact that the corporate has seeped it's way into the governmental, occupying positions of power at every level. This new
corporate influence brings with it a corporate mind set, one of profit and control, which has caused even those free of corporate interest to view
things from an economic standpoint. A legislative or executive act that once was measured in societal reaction is now measured in profit margins and
candle stick charts. This new marriage of the corporate and the federal has created a new set of moral standards vastly different than that of a few
decades ago and has facilitated the creation of a new form of law enforcement.
The American system of law enforcement has served us well for near 300 years and was created to protect the law abiding citizens from those of ill
repute and malevolent desires. For the most part our laws, and the means by which they are enforced, have been governed by the opinion of the
majority and cases to the contrary were not long lived. Our law enforcement officers were the interface between the judiciary and the citizenry and
more over they were our friends, our allies, they were people we told our children to trust in. As the 21st century rolls on they have taken on a
different role, they have become the means by which the government enforces rules and actions not always accepted or agreed upon by the citizens. A
police officer is now a figure of authority, granted the ability to use even deadly force at his or her discretion, whose word is not to be questioned
nor his order disobeyed. The transition was a quiet one, like a thief in the night the modern era of fear stole away our friendly neighborhood beat
cop and replaced him with an armored, almost military force whose new objective seems to be protecting the corporate and federal from the plebian
citizens. The ever watchful eye of the law has turned away from corruption and organized crime and has set it's sights on the most dangerous of all
enemies, a disgruntled and disinfranchised populace. Domestic surveillance and civilian control is the name of the game and staying on top of the
terrorists-to-be will require new technology, which in turn will require monetary resources sometimes exceeding the capacity of a local or even state
law enforcement budget requiring law enforcement agencies and police departments to turn to the corporations for help.
The FujiFilm blimp is a perfect example of this shift in our concept of law enforcement. At one time it was a fundemental American beliefe that all
are equal in the eyes of the law, granted this has not always been the case but it had been an ideal of perfection we were driven to acheive. All
people of this great nation, whether rich or poor, were meant to recieve the same just and righteous treatment. This beliefe in equality was the main
reason for law enforcement to be controlled and operated by state and local governments, as they are the laws of the state it is only logical that the
state enforce those laws. What we are seeing is just the begining of a new era for the American people as the corporations begin to control not only
the law makers, but those who enforce the laws. If it is the rich alone who control the making and enforcing of laws then it is surely the poor who
will be imprisoned. Private corporate sponsership of law enforcement as we see in the blimp example is somthing wrriten of in countless dystopian
sci-fi novels and is the death of equal consideration in the eyes of the law. More importantly it may spell the end for our current concept of law
and legality, if the persuit, apprehension and detainment of people deemed suspects is outsourced to privately owned corporations the longevity of our
Bill of Rights is called into question. There are currently no regulations or laws concerning the private assistance in civil law enforcemnet except
those created as company policy to avoid legal action. More often then not litigation against a major corporation is less than useless and it seems
money is the only thing these people will listen to.
If corporate participation in civilian law enforcement continues things may get bad for us citizens. As I have stated before it is the main purpose
of any corporation to earn a profit, and if a profit is not being made every effort is put into "getting in the green". More importantly if a
corporation is making a substantial profit it will double it's efforts in that field seeking to extend it's power of monopoly as far as is possible
before other corporations infiltrate that market. But if that market is the surveillance, persuit, apprehension and even imprisonment of those
suspected of illegal activity it is a fair assumption to say that we will witness a rapid growth in (anti) civilian security. Given the resources of
mega corporations such as Fuji or Microsoft technological advancements and their subsequent deployment in the field will no longer be a lengthy
process bogged down by beauracratic tape. Their ability to create new surveillance and enforcement technology will grow exponentially as their
researchers gain real world experience in the law enforcement market. Their power and influence will grow with each succesful apprehension until it
becomes illogical for states to budget an obsolete law enforcement department leaving us citizens at the mercy of money hungry executives.
As the strength and influence of private law enforcement grows the corporate beast will branch out into other fields thusly creating private jails,
private judges and private laws. If the transition is gentle enough and quiet enought the populace will accept it without question. The corporate
controlled major media sources, the source of information for most of the country, will portray the private expansion into law enforcement as a much
needed evelutionary step to eliminate out dated technologies, alleiviate heavy government debt, and above all else will serve to better protect the
citizens from the unseen enemy. The people will only recieve one view point, that of the corporations, and in our era of the PATRIOT Act I fear some
may even support it.
The private corporate take over of our law enforcement has already begun and threatens to destroy everything this country stands for. If we give the
power of law enforcement over to corporations run by the megalomaniacal, money hungry elite so often guilty of illegal activity themselves we have
effectively lost our legal equality. Our law enforcement should be carried out solely by the people and their elected officials, disobediance of
society's laws is society's problem. As a society we must face our problems together and not resort to the inhuman corporate tactics of outsourcing
and downsizing. As citizens we are expected to follow the laws of this country lest we face the punishment of this country but never should the
breaking of a law place you in the control of a corporation who's only alleigance is to profit. These corporations are not American, they are in
almost every sense a seperate independant country. Our laws are meant to be guidlines by which the American society will perpetuate and flourish they
should never be a means to furthering the wealth and power of corporate executives. Corporate investments serve corporate interests, law enforcement
is supposed to serve the people "and never the twain shall meet" as they say. The selling of American morals and institutions to corrupt criminal
corporations must stop before we have lost control entirely and find ourselves subjects of America Inc. If the government is no longer able to
protect the people it is the duty of the people to protect themselves but never should we look to the morally bankrupt rich for protection.
Related News Links:
msnbc.msn.com
home.hamptonroads.com
[edit on 16-9-2005 by Shadowflux]
[edit on 27-9-2005 by DJDOHBOY]