{news} Lawmakers: Committee needed to review police "watch lists"

[clifford thornton]

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Lawmakers: Committee needed to review police "watch lists" 
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Associated Press

March 16, 2007

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A group of lawmakers wants to create an oversight committee that would annually review the "watch lists" compiled by the state's law enforcement and homeland security officials.

The legislature's Judiciary and Government Administration and Elections committees both are considering bills to create a bipartisan oversight committee of lawmakers, who would review the names on the lists and reasons they were included.

One of the bills is scheduled for a public hearing Friday.

The existence of the watch lists was publicized after the arrest of political activist and freelance journalist Ken Krayeske, 34, at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade in downtown Hartford on Jan. 3.

The Hartford police officers who arrested Krayeske said they recognized his name and picture from a list of people they'd been warned might disrupt the proceedings or be a potential threat to Rell's safety.

Legislators who discussed the bills Thursday said the General Assembly is obligated to ensure that non-violent people are not unfairly monitored for political reasons or to squelch their free speech rights.

Although a proposed oversight committee would review the lists, those documents would not become public records.

"This provides a very limited, careful, considered mechanism in order for us to have the information we need," said state Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Lawlor said it would be similar to the procedure in which legislators annually review the number of wiretaps that police use on phone lines in the state, the circumstances, and whether the surveillance led to arrests.

The legislators acknowledged that even if an oversight committee were created, it would have little enforcement power if it believes someone has been unfairly included on a watch list.

But they said they hope the committee could use strong persuasion, and reason with law enforcement authorities to change their practices and be more sensitive to free speech rights.

"That which we cannot know, we cannot review," said state Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington. "I think the transparency and accountability leads to a change in behavior."

Connecticut State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said the department will follow whatever directives it receives from the General Assembly.

"We have always abided by the law, and certainly we will abide by any changes or revisions implemented by legislation," he said Thursday.

A provision in one of the proposed laws would also require police departments to offer more details about probable cause when a person is arrested.

Under current law, they must release specifics such as the name, date of birth, place and time of the arrest, charges and at least a brief narrative. The proposed legislation would require police departments to release more details - something that Lawlor and others say would help gauge whether the arrests had legal merit.

Krayeske, who did not attend Thursday's gathering of legislators, was charged with breach of peace during the Jan. 3 parade.

The Hartford police report stated that detectives were briefed on possible threats to Rell by the state police and the Connecticut Intelligence Center, a state and federal law enforcement initiative based at the FBI's Connecticut office.

The report claims Krayeske stepped off the curb into the parade toward Rell after riding his mountain bike quickly up the route through downtown Hartford.

Krayeske, who also was the campaign manager for Cliff Thornton, the Connecticut Green Party's candidate for governor, said he was only taking photos as a freelance journalist. He had a bag with camera equipment.

He has entered a plea of not guilty. The court case is pending.


Copyright 2007 Associated Press


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