Wiretapping Increases 250% in Last Decade, Local Police Lead
by Anthony Sibley (AJ) on Jul 10, 2013 | Views: 135 | Score: 0
| Federal level | State / Local | |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 497 | 861 |
| 2003 | 578 | 864 |
| 2004 | 730 | 980 |
| 2005 | 625 | 1148 |
| 2006 | 461 | 1378 |
| 2007 | 457 | 1751 |
| 2008 | 386 | 1505 |
| 2009 | 663 | 1713 |
| 2010 | 1207 | 1987 |
| 2011 | 792 | 1940 |
| 2012 | 1354 | 2041 |
Sources:
uscourts.gov
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From 2002-2012, wiretap applications rose by 250%. Previously mainly utilized by federal agents, local police are increasingly, aggressively, utilizing intercepts. While authorization is ostensibly required, this oversight is questionable; of the 23,925 requests filed during this time, 7 were rejected. In 2002, 77.5% of wiretaps concerned narcotics offenses, in 2012, 87.3% did. The average cost of intercepts was $50,452.