Scarier than the terrorists Fox News has this story on the changes at the FBI.
The plan amounts to a wholesale change of focus from the FBI's historic role of investigating crimes that have already been committed to a new mission: preventing future crimes and terrorism.The FBI itself describes it as a shift from a "reactive to a proactive orientation." Many reforms had been proposed for years but, until Sept. 11, the FBI resisted change.
The turnaround amounts to a massive change in structure, investigative techniques, culture, attitude, procedures and methodology, hiring and technology.
There will be a new emphasis on computers and technology. For years, the FBI's technology has been woefully outdated — many networks are not linked and analysis is inadequate.The new National Joint Terrorism Task Force, already in operation, will establish an Office of Intelligence that will encourage analytical capabilities.
More critically, the new intelligence section will have sweeping investigative authority in the U.S. — authority that has not existed recently, as the Central Intelligence Agency cannot spy in the United States and FBI undercover work has until now been limited to probing crimes that are assumed to have already occurred.
You know, there was a reason why the CIA was forbidden to spy inside the US. MAybe we ought to remember that reason before we carelessly discard it. What are we giving up in the name of security?
Posted by Rich at May 29, 2002 12:53 AM