During a hearing held by the City Council on Friday, a contentious intelligence gathering centre operated by the Boston Police Department was the subject of heated criticism and repeated questions regarding allegations of civil liberties violations and concerns regarding racial profiling. However, department brass defended the operation as an essential tool that helps keep communities safe.
The Boston Regional Intelligence Centre is a so-called “fusion centre” that manages, among other things, the city’s gang database or a compilation of suspected gang members. The city is on track to obtain $3.4 million in federal subsidies for the centre, and the grants will go towards the Boston Regional Intelligence Centre.
The centre, which is known as BRIC, would be able to strengthen its skills to combat gang-related crime and terrorism as well as provide emergency responses if it were awarded four grants. The grants would allow the centre to hire an additional eight analysts.
However, in order for the city to accept the funding, the City Council needs to give its approval first. However, the legislative body has declined to take any action regarding the grants since councillors are pushing for more comprehensive debates on police reform. In point of fact, several of the funds that were up for debate on Friday were carryovers from earlier fiscal years, some dating as far back as the year 2020.
Specifically, councillors and civil rights advocates have, for years, demanded more details about BRIC’s gang database, seeking to probe concerns that Black and Latinx city residents have historically been disproportionately represented in its rolls. This demand can be found at the following link: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/04/metro/concerned-over-bias-boston-councilors-want-probe-citys-gang-database/? Reformists with a more progressive worldview have advocated for the institution’s abolition.
During Friday’s session, there was more of the same pointed questioning.
Councillor Ruthzee Louijeune remarked, “Where are we in terms of trust?” while pointing out that issues with the operation of BRIC had been uncovered in outside court litigation. She emphasised that the flaws have been brought to light.
For instance, a court order from last year criticised BRIC’s gang database for “its reliance on an erratic point system built on unsubstantiated inferences.” This ruling can be seen at https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2022/01/12/court-decision-deals-blow-to-boston-police-gang-database/.
In that particular instance, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found in favour of a Salvadoran national who claimed that law enforcement had incorrectly accused him as a member of the MS-13 gang.The court stated in its decision that “the list of ‘items or activities’ that could lead to’verification for entry into the Gang Assessment Database’ was shockingly wide-ranging.” Specifically, the faults that the justices highlighted with how the database was produced were at the centre of that conclusion.
According to Councillor Julia Mejia, “Many of us do not believe that BRIC is operating with the best intentions of Black and brown, and Muslims, and people who have diverse experiences,” she remarked on Friday. “We do not have that data… that makes us believe that you do… have our best interests in mind,” said the company.
The BRIC was justified by law enforcement officers as well as certain local councillors. Ed Flynn, the president of the Council, referred to the job that BRIC undertakes as “very important work,” which is “work preventing heinous crime.” Councillor Michael Flaherty, who presided over the session, stated that BRIC contributes to the investigation and resolution of homicide cases in the city of Boston.
Michael Cox, the Commissioner of Police of Boston, stated that the purpose of the BRIC is not to demonise people of colour.
“It’s really about… identifying the people who are driving the crime, violent crime in our city, and keeping track of that information,” Cox said. “It’s really about… identifying the people who are driving the crime.”
At the hearing on Friday, city officials emphasised that BRIC maintains compliance with the city’s Trust Act, which prohibits Boston police from getting involved in deportation matters. The Trust Act can be found at this link: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/12/19/boston-signs-new-trust-act-with-immigrant-community/BHbsRGZ8YdTapsoN1QZNyO/story.html? In the past, the police department has been questioned about the degree to which it works closely with immigration authorities.
According to the Boston Police Department, in order to decide whether or not an individual meets the requirements for inclusion in its gang database, BRIC reviews a variety of police records and information. People who reach the inclusion criteria of 10 points but are found not to be participating in gang-related criminal behaviour may still be denied entry into the database by the centre, even if they do fulfil the inclusion level.
The hearing that took place on Friday lasted for a total of four hours and featured passionate comments from people who are opposed to BRIC.
Alex Marthews, the chair of the civil liberties organisation Digital Fourth, has accused BRIC of “mission creep,” claiming that the centre has inappropriately surveilled demonstrators and activists and facilitated “data-fueled harassment of young Bostonians of colour.” BRIC has responded to these allegations by maintaining that it does not conduct inappropriate surveillance.
“BRIC is a hammer in search of a nail,” he remarked. “BRIC is a waste of time.”
According to Fatema Ahmad, who resides in Dorchester and serves as the executive director of the Muslim Justice League, the BRIC operation lacks transparency and conducts intelligence collection using a net that is too wide.
She stated that “people have been harmed” as a result of this. “It causes harm to actual people.”
According to Kade Crockford, director of the Technology for Liberty programme at the American Civil Liberties Union in Massachusetts, BRIC is able to gather and disseminate information about an individual without ever requiring a criminal predicate.
During the hearing, Crockford delivered the following statement through Zoom: “That is very troubling.” The Boston Police Department is not tasked with investigating citizens’ political ideas or statements; rather, it is responsible for investigating criminal activity.
The voting on the various BRIC funds might not take place until Wednesday at the earliest.
