Posted on 07/25/2002 10:09:15 AM PDT by mhking
Boulder council snubs terror act
Critics worry about rights violations
By Owen S. Good, Rocky Mountain News
July 24, 2002
BOULDER - The city's police force will be strongly discouraged from cooperating with federal authorities who invoke the provisions of anti-terror legislation under a resolution passed by the City Council on Tuesday night. The resolution changes law enforcement policy in Boulder very little, making it mostly a symbolic gesture, but one opponents of the USA PATRIOT Act consider necessary.They say the federal law, which greatly expands investigative powers to thwart terrorism, does so at the expense of individuals' constitutional rights. "We see a lot of the PATRIOT Act that is a violation of the Constitution, and we want to be assured the Boulder Police Department does not cooperate with that," said Betty Ball of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, part of a consortium that drafted the resolution. "We want to give courage to other cities and jurisdictions to pass similar resolutions." Police Chief Mark Beckner endorsed the resolution, which was modified slightly with his input, Ball said.Beckner said it shouldn't create a stir in the force's relationship with the FBI, however. "I don't have the opinion that the FBI operates outside the Constitution, either," Beckner said. "Were they to do that, obviously we wouldn't participate in it. But in my workings with the FBI locally, we've not had any problems." Joe Pelle, commander of detectives, said the FBI has not asked for Boulder's cooperation in the investigation of anyone under the USA PATRIOT Act since it was passed Oct. 26.Six other American municipalities, beginning in January with Ann Arbor, Mich., have passed resolutions specifically condemning the USA PATRIOT Act. Most are university communities with a tradition of activism similar to Boulder's. In unrelated business Tuesday night, the City Council was expected to approve agreements with Linda P. Cooke and Christine F. Andersen to serve as municipal judge and acting city manager, respectively. Cook will be paid $85,000 a year, beginning Aug. 4; Andersen, currently the deputy city manager, would be paid $132,500 annually and be guaranteed her former position once a permanent manager is hired. Andersen will replace Ron Secrist, who is stepping down in August to become president of the Boulder Community Hospital Foundation.
goodo@rockymountainnews.com or (303)442-8729
You can't make this stuff up!
What scum!
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