A recent article by the ACLU reports that federal air marshals in Las Vegas have a quota regarding reports identifying individuals as "suspicious." Every month, it seems, each air marshal must file at least one "Surveillance Detection Report," which can lead one to be listed on a national or even international watchlist. This system affects an air marshal's assignment and salary.
Basically, people can be put on a watchlist by an air marshal because the air marshal wants a pay raise. One tourist had an SDR filed on him/her for taking a picture of the skyline in Las Vegas as his/her plane took off. One memo circulated shortly after the quota system began said that, although air marshals may not see anything for a month at a time, "if you are looking for it, you'll see something."
Perhaps firefighters should have to fight a certain number of fires each week? If no one set their house on fire for a while, the firefighter could always do it for them. Maybe every American should have to report their car stolen at least once in their life? It would keep prisons in business. The best option would be if every air marshal reported at least one such governmental display of idiocy in their careers.
The original article can be found at The Denver Channel.com.
Tags: Politics, Current Events, Current Affairs, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Air Marshal, Surveillance Detection Report, Surveillance, Bush, SDR Quota, Patriot Act
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