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Massachusetts SWAT teams claim they’re private corporations, immune from open records laws
Washington Post ^ | June 26 at 10:27 AM | RADLEY BALKO

Posted on 06/26/2014 11:51:06 AM PDT by maine yankee

As it turns out, a number of SWAT teams in the Bay State are operated by what are called law enforcement councils, or LECs. These LECs are funded by several police agencies in a given geographic area and overseen by an executive board, which is usually made up of police chiefs from member police departments -------------- Some of these LECs have also apparently incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations. And it’s here that we run into problems. According to the ACLU, the LECs are claiming that the 501(c)(3) status means that they’re private corporations, not government agencies.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abuseofpower; corruption; donutwatch; foia; lec; leosoutofcontrol; militarizedpolice; police; policestate; swat
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Do I still live in the USA ?
1 posted on 06/26/2014 11:51:06 AM PDT by maine yankee
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To: maine yankee

No.


2 posted on 06/26/2014 11:53:00 AM PDT by SpeakerToAnimals (I hope to earn a name in battle)
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To: maine yankee

wouldn’t that eliminate the protection from lawsuits since they are not government agents, but private employees?


3 posted on 06/26/2014 11:53:20 AM PDT by will of the people
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To: maine yankee

SO... next time they raid the wrong house, sue them into oblivion.


4 posted on 06/26/2014 11:53:35 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: maine yankee

“A *corporation* neutralized your attack pug, sir —we can’t help you.”


5 posted on 06/26/2014 11:53:36 AM PDT by gaijin
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To: maine yankee

Doesn’t seem like it.


6 posted on 06/26/2014 11:53:40 AM PDT by SIDENET
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To: will of the people

As well, can they be funded by taxpayer dollars as private entities?

Sic the IRS on them as inherently conservative organizations. They know how to handle 501c3 terrorists!


7 posted on 06/26/2014 11:56:12 AM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: maine yankee

Private corporations using public funds? That’s not how it works.


8 posted on 06/26/2014 11:56:43 AM PDT by boycott
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To: maine yankee

If this is true, why can’t I start my own SWAT team?


9 posted on 06/26/2014 11:56:52 AM PDT by HMS Surprise (Chris Christie can STILL go straight to hell.)
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To: HMS Surprise

Yeah...that was MY thought...


10 posted on 06/26/2014 11:57:42 AM PDT by goodnesswins (R.I.P. Doherty, Smith, Stevens, Woods)
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To: maine yankee

Sounds like they’ve opened the door to a claim that they don’t share the state’s `sovereign immunity’.


11 posted on 06/26/2014 11:58:02 AM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
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To: maine yankee

They can’t be agents of the state and not agents of the state at the same time.


12 posted on 06/26/2014 11:58:37 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: maine yankee
Does their funding come from taxpayers?

If it does, we have a big problem if this is allowed to stand.

13 posted on 06/26/2014 12:02:37 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government." --Tacitus)
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To: maine yankee

What a bunch of absolute fascist crap!


14 posted on 06/26/2014 12:03:48 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: maine yankee
They disclaim being agents of the government? Then they are private citizens with no authority to act on behalf of the government. Paid mercenaries. Rent-a-cops roving the streets with high powered weapons and no accountability. No special protection from state laws directed to exempt government law enforcement officers from weapons laws that are more restrictively applied to "ordinary" citizens. Seems like lots of opportunity for the legal community.
15 posted on 06/26/2014 12:04:00 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: null and void

Head —> Desk


16 posted on 06/26/2014 12:04:36 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: UCANSEE2

“SO... next time they raid the wrong house, sue them into oblivion.”

After you win, you could seize a lot of great toys too to pay the judgment.


17 posted on 06/26/2014 12:04:54 PM PDT by ModelBreaker
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To: will of the people

If they are claiming private corporate status to shield themselves from open records don’t they also give up considerable power?

What other private corporation can conduct no knock raids on private citizens?

What other private corporation can equip their employees with unlicensed (IAW Federal gun control laws) fully automatic weapons?

What other private corporation can freely violate state gun control laws (assault weapons, large capacity magazines, etc) with impunity?

What other corporation get pro bono use of state and county legal facilities and personnel?

And the list goes on and on.

I would love to see some legal group take these SWAT corporations to court with the idea of CONFIRMING their status as a private corporation. Then, immediately sue the counties they are operating in for failing to equally enforce various Federal and state gun laws.


18 posted on 06/26/2014 12:05:13 PM PDT by Nip (BOHEICA and TANSTAAFL - both seem very appropriate today.)
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To: maine yankee

But apparently they are private corporations that can bust down your door, shoot your dog, handcuff you and force you to watch him bleed out. Since when is that a thing?


19 posted on 06/26/2014 12:05:17 PM PDT by thorvaldr
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To: maine yankee

I’m having flashbacks to WKRP in Cincinnati when Johnny Fever destroyed a phone, heard sirens and went running out of the room screaming about the phone cops coming to get him.


20 posted on 06/26/2014 12:09:43 PM PDT by Texican72
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