Law Enforcement

Lawmakers Propose Bill Limiting Government's Use of Facial Recognition

The legislation would require law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before conducting facial recognition surveillance.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Did Body Cameras Backfire?

Body cameras were supposed to fix a broken system. What happened?

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic

The Endless Aerial Surveillance of the Border

New reports suggest that drone activity at the southern border is spreading to nearby cities, erasing the line between police procedures and immigration enforcement.

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic

New Tech Promises to Stop Drones from Overflying Stadiums — and Find the People Flying Them

Raytheon says its products helped police nab four flying drones over an outdoor concert.

  • By Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One

DOJ Makes Another Plea for Encryption Backdoors

While officials have long framed end-to-end encryption as an impediment to fighting terrorism, the department is now focusing on its impacts on child sex abuse.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Attorney General, DHS Secretary Call on Facebook to Build Encryption Backdoors

“Security enhancements to the virtual world should not make us more vulnerable in the physical world,” they said in a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Legacy Systems Held DHS' Biometrics Programs Back. Not Anymore.

The cloud-based HART system, which will house data on hundreds of millions of people, promises to significantly expand the department’s use of facial recognition and other biometric software, as well as its partnerships with external agencies.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Fighting Cyber Crime is Critical for National Security, Says Secret Service Chief

While election interference, espionage and power grid threats get all the attention, nation-states also lean on cyber criminals to conduct operations on their behalf, according to Director James Murray.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Six U.S. Cities Make the List of Most Surveilled Places in the World

A new report found that CCTV surveillance is increasing in certain areas of the U.S., with one city government watching its citizens from 35,000 cameras.

  • By Emma Coleman

In the Deepfake Era, Counterterrorism Is Harder

After failing to detect the 9/11 plot, spy agencies reinvented themselves for an age of terrorism, but a new generation of technological threats requires a new round of reforms.

  • By Amy Zegart, The Atlantic

Study: More than Half of Americans Trust Law Enforcement to Use Facial Recognition Responsibly

Pew Research Center’s study is the latest to conclude Americans are growing more comfortable with having their faces scanned.

  • By Frank Konkel

Justice Indicts 80 People In International Nigerian Email Scam

The fraud ring—allegedly led by U.S.-based Nigerian nationals—was working $46 million in email, romance and other schemes when law enforcement pounced.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Military Scientists Harness AI To Fight Synthetic Opioids

A DIA group that scans millions of websites is overwhelming law enforcement with solid tips.

  • By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

Coordinated Ransomware Attack in Texas Seen as Escalation From Prior Hacks

Twenty-three local governments were attacked over the weekend. The willingness of city governments to pay ransoms may be emboldening opportunistic hackers, security experts warn.

  • By Andrea Noble

Featured eBooks

Digital First
What’s Next for Federal Customer Experience
Cloud Smarter

FBI Wants Tech to Track Social Media for Criminals and Terrorists Before They Act

Proposals from interested vendors are due later this month.

  • By Brandi Vincent

The Hidden Challenges in Police Use of Facial Recognition Technology

The Orlando Police Department ended its pilot program involving facial recognition technology this month, saying the agency was unable to devote the necessary resources to the program.

  • By Andrea Noble

The Arguments for Weakening Encryption Aren't Any Better Under Trump

Law-enforcement backdoors would still make everyone less safe, even as U.S. officials set their sights on broader access to data.

  • By Matthew D. Green, Defense One

Barr Calls For An End to ‘Warrant-Proof’ Encryption

The attorney general railed against the tech during a speech in New York City, reinvigorating a debate that’s long rankled law enforcement officials and the tech community.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Immigration Officials Use Secretive Gang Databases to Deny Migrant Asylum Claims

Legal experts and human rights advocates say they were not told about the databases and question their reliability.

  • By Melissa del Bosque, ProPublica

Figuring Out How to Go After International Robocallers

The FCC will vote on a proposed rule next month that would ban malicious caller ID spoofing for text messages and robocalls that originate outside the United States. State attorneys general have long requested federal assistance with complaints about robocallers from out of the country.

  • By Andrea Noble

Lawmakers Question Integrity of FBI’s Facial Recognition Program

The bureau for years ignored concerns about the accuracy and transparency of its facial recognition efforts, and the House Oversight Committee isn’t happy about it.

  • By Jack Corrigan