#BlackLivesMatter, Surveillance, Berkeley Police and the FBI

This is a meeting to express concerns directly to the Berkeley police review commission. The public can demand a thorough investigation into policing strategy during the #BlackLivesMatter protests in Berkeley. Public comment is at the start of the meeting, and a second time for public comment is at the end of the meeting. The police review process doesn't work if the public doesn't speak.

This a meeting for the general public, but there is a special interest into surveillance research, investigative journalism and police militarization.

The review commission cannot make effective recommendations to changing police procedure, if the review commission doesn't have a full understanding of what the police did in suppressing the protests.

In December of 2014, a series of protests took place in Berkeley and Oakland against systematic racism in policing.

1. How did police agencies use undercover operatives in the #BlackLivesMatter protests?

On the night of Wednesday December 10th, an undercover cop pulled a gun on press photographers and protesters, after being exposed. The officer, who was trying to entice people into breaking windows, was confronted by protesters who were trying to keep the focus on the march. (http://www.dailydot.com/politics/oakland-black-lives-matter-undercover-cop/)

2. How did the FBI use surveillance technology? On December 8th, a low flying plane flew over Berkeley at low altitudes, circling over Berkeley. This summer, information about the FBI's "secret airforce" was revealed. The FBI owns and operates a fleet of light aircraft under the guise of dummy companies. These aircraft can be used for cellphone surveillance. (http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/02/fbi-surveillance-government-planes-cities) (https://bgr.com/2015/06/03/fbi-dirtbox-stingray-spy-plane-program/)

3. How did police agencies coordinate operational conduct ad information sharing?

Police from the University of California, Hayward, Pleasanton, Oakland, and other agencies were present at the protests. Yet only representatives from Berkeley police have appeared at Police Review Commission meetings. Was there a command structure that set operational standards between the different departments, or were the departments acting independently with their own different standards of conduct? As outside police agencies gathered information about the protest, did those agencies give their data to Berkeley police, or did each police department keep their own data?