911 Caller Busts NYPD Safehouse in NJ

[Dalton]

Link. Since when is the NYPD a national security agency?

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — It's an audiotape the New York Police Department hoped you would never hear.

A building superintendent at an apartment complex just off the Rutgers University campus called the New Brunswick Police 911 line in June 2009. He said his staff had been conducting a routine inspection and came across something suspicious.

"What's suspicious?" the dispatcher asked.

"Suspicious in the sense that the apartment has about — has no furniture except two beds, has no clothing, has New York City Police Department radios."

"Really?" the dispatcher asked, her voice rising with surprise.

The caller, Salil Sheth, had stumbled upon one of the NYPD's biggest secrets: a safe house, a place where undercover officers working well outside the department's jurisdiction could lie low and coordinate surveillance. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the NYPD, with training and guidance from the CIA, has monitored the activities of Muslims in New York and far beyond. Detectives infiltrated mosques, eavesdropped in cafes and kept tabs on Muslim student groups, including at Rutgers.

The NYPD kept files on innocent sermons, recorded the names of political organizers in police documents and built databases of where Muslims lived and shopped, even where they were likely to gather to watch sports. Out-of-state operations, like the one in New Brunswick, were one aspect of this larger intelligence-gathering effort. The Associated Press previously described the discovery of the NYPD inside the New Jersey apartment, but police now have released the tape of the 911 call and other materials after a legal fight.

"There's computer hardware, software, you know, just laying around," the caller continued. "There's pictures of terrorists. There's pictures of our neighboring building that they have."

"In New Brunswick?" the dispatcher asked, sounding as confused as the caller.

Police refused to hand over tape

The AP requested a copy of the 911 tape last year. Under pressure from the NYPD, the New Brunswick Police Department refused. After the AP sued, the city this week turned over the tape and emails that described the NYPD's efforts to keep the recording a secret.

The call sent New Brunswick police and the FBI rushing to the apartment complex. Officers and agents were surprised at what they found. None had been told that the NYPD was in town.

At the NYPD, the bungled operation was an embarrassment. It made the department look amateurish and forced it to ask the FBI to return the department's materials.

The emails highlight the sometimes convoluted arguments the NYPD has used to justify its out-of-state activities, which have been criticized by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and some members of Congress. The NYPD has infiltrated and photographed Muslim businesses and mosques in New Jersey, monitored the Internet postings of Muslim college students across the Northeast and traveled as far away as New Orleans to infiltrate and build files on liberal advocacy groups.

In February, NYPD's deputy commissioner for legal matters, Andrew Schaffer, told reporters that detectives can operate outside New York because they aren't conducting official police duties.

"They're not acting as police officers in other jurisdictions," Schaffer said.

In trying to keep the 911 tape under wraps, however, the NYPD made no mention of the fact that its officers were not acting as police. In fact, Lt. Cmdr. William McGroarty and Assistant Chief Thomas Galati argued that releasing the recording would jeopardize investigations and endanger the people and buildings.

Renting under a false name

Further, the apartment, No. 1076, was rented by an undercover NYPD officer using a fake name that he was still using, New Brunswick attorneys told the AP.

"Such identification will place the safety of any officers identified, as well as the undercover operatives with whom they work, at risk," Galati wrote in a letter to New Brunswick.

The city deleted that name from the copy of the tape that it released.

Reached by phone Tuesday, McGroarty declined to discuss the New Brunswick operation. But the recording offers a glimpse inside the safe house: a small apartment with two computers, dozens of black plastic boxes and no furniture or clothes except one suit.
"And pictures of our neighboring buildings?" the dispatcher asked.

"Yes, the Matrix building," Sheth replied, referring to a local developer. "There's pictures of terrorists. There's literature on the Muslim religion."
New York authorities have encouraged people like Sheth to call 911. In its "Eight Signs of Terrorism," people are encouraged to call the police if they see evidence of surveillance, information gathering, suspicious activities or anything that looks out of place.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has defended the police department's right to go anywhere in the country in search of terrorists without telling local police. And New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa has said he's seen no evidence that the NYPD's efforts violated his state's laws.

Muslim groups, however, have sued to shut down the NYPD programs. Civil rights lawyers have asked a federal judge to decide whether the spying violates federal rules that were set up to prevent a repeat of NYPD abuses of the 1950s, when police Red Squads spied on student groups and activists in search of communists.

[Ahriman238]

Seriously? The NYPD can operate in New Jersey as long as it's not official? That's really the defense the defense they're going with here?

The courts will love this. An inept and half-assed attempt to cover up the crime just makes it better.

[fgalkin]

Seriously? The NYPD can operate in New Jersey as long as it's not official? That's really the defense the defense they're going with here?

The courts will love this. An inept and half-assed attempt to cover up the crime just makes it better.

So, since the cops were operating as private individuals, and do not have a PI or any other kind of license, they should go to jail for illegal surviellance, violations of privacy, possibly breaking and entering etc.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Gaidin]

My favorite part is how New York has a general public policy of "If you see something like this call the police!", and this guy stumbled on something that looks like 'this', and calls the police, and its an NYPD hideout. Sure, New Jersey, but I'm pretty sure it'd be hard not to at least hear of such a policy that close to New York.

[Molyneux]

I'm surprised that the NJ police didn't issue a statement. Maybe they're trying to keep it internal between the two departments?

[Sea Skimmer]

I'd reason a high chance that New Jersey knew about it, if only at a very high level. The most vulnerable targets in the New York metro area are in New Jersey and it would be astounding if the departments are not cooperating on security, besides the web of often poorly defined links that exist with all the Homeland Security agencies. How far they work together on surveillance I don't know, likely not that far when it comes to fishing expeditions, but its hard to think its all in the black. Though the NYPD has even been claimed to have sent people overseas at times, so it also wouldn't be that surprising if they have a black office that thinks its the CIA.

Course I also remain amused how concerned everyone is suddenly becoming over UAV surveillance when the NYPD has been 'openly' operating at least one unmarked police helicopter for years.

[Alyrium Denryle]

You know what, it is not the the safe-house that interests me. It is the blanket surveillance of muslims without specific suspicions that bothers me. Since when do we assume that all muslims are terrorists?

"There's computer hardware, software, you know, just laying around," the caller continued. "There's pictures of terrorists. There's pictures of our neighboring building that they have."

No, there are pictures of Ahmed the muslim guy who runs a Mediterranean fast food stall.

The NYPD has infiltrated and photographed Muslim businesses and mosques in New Jersey, monitored the Internet postings of Muslim college students across the Northeast and traveled as far away as New Orleans to infiltrate and build files on liberal advocacy groups.

What the fuck?

[Lonestar]

No, there are pictures of Ahmed the muslim guy who runs a Mediterranean fast food stall.

Gonna take a wild shot in the dark here and guess with a (Bengali)name like "Salil Sheth" he wasn't intent on being "rar! all muslims=terrorists!"

[Vaporous]

This (spying, muslim paranoia, infiltrating and undermining liberal protest groups, etc.) is pretty much what they already do in the City, only they think they can do it everywhere else too because... well, no one stopped them.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I love that only LIBERAL protest groups are suspicious.

[TronPaul]

Welcome to the out of state police state.

If this isn't an abuse of powers, I don't know what is. If the officers were acting on their own time:

1. Was the NYPD paying for the apartment? If not who was?
2. Is it illegal to rent with a false name?
3. Aren't their actions are not shielded by them being officers?

[Gaidin]

Funny part is if it was an actual safehouse instead of an observation post it wouldn't be that bad.

[ArmorPierce]

You guys haven't heard about what the nypd have been caught doing in new jersey? The nypd has been caught spying on muslims including muslim students and muslim student groups particularly at rutgers university. This revelation followed it being revealed that nypd was officially showing anti muslim propoganda that was stating that muslims were invading america from withing.

Mayor bloomberg at first denounced the propoganda videos but since the rest of the shit came out about nypd spying in new jersey it it became clear that it ran much deeper than just propoganda video being shown to officers mayor bloomberg has swung around and put hiss full support behind the nypd.

This safe house obviously is related to this.

And no, this was done without knowledge of new jersey officials. The governor. And mayor booker t of newark have came out stating they had no knowledge and condemning the actions of the nypd. Shit the governor is republican and he even condemned it.

[Kamakazie Sith]

I love that only LIBERAL protest groups are suspicious.

Only to the media...

[Kamakazie Sith]

Welcome to the out of state police state.

If this isn't an abuse of powers, I don't know what is. If the officers were acting on their own time:

1. Was the NYPD paying for the apartment? If not who was?
2. Is it illegal to rent with a false name?
3. Aren't their actions are not shielded by them being officers?

The only thing illegal about this is the surveillance of Muslims without cause. EDIT - Which is very concering to me and should be dealt with harshly but that story isn't new.

This one seems to be getting attention because NYPD was conducting an investigation outside their jurisdiction. Allow me to put this issue to bed. Police agencies conduct investigations outside their jurisdiction all the time.

[Simon_Jester]

I love that only LIBERAL protest groups are suspicious.

There's actually a fair number of right-wing political groups on police watch lists (remember Oklahoma City? So do they). But most of them are the 'usual suspects' and you'd probably just take it for granted that they get police attention (like the KKK).

[Sarevok]

You guys haven't heard about what the nypd have been caught doing in new jersey? The nypd has been caught spying on muslims including muslim students and muslim student groups particularly at rutgers university. This revelation followed it being revealed that nypd was officially showing anti muslim propoganda that was stating that muslims were invading america from withing.

Mayor bloomberg at first denounced the propoganda videos but since the rest of the shit came out about nypd spying in new jersey it it became clear that it ran much deeper than just propoganda video being shown to officers mayor bloomberg has swung around and put hiss full support behind the nypd.

This safe house obviously is related to this.

And no, this was done without knowledge of new jersey officials. The governor. And mayor booker t of newark have came out stating they had no knowledge and condemning the actions of the nypd. Shit the governor is republican and he even condemned it.

Are there any muslims cops in nypd ? Whats the police feeling towards muslims anyway ? Sounds like law enforcement in general going to be suspicious toward any muslims they encounter.

[Thanas]

This one seems to be getting attention because NYPD was conducting an investigation outside their jurisdiction. Allow me to put this issue to bed. Police agencies conduct investigations outside their jurisdiction all the time.

WTF? How is the use of police powers outside their assigned area lawful? The only way a police officer should have powers outside their jurisdiction is in case of emergency. What is the reason for this?

[General Zod]

This one seems to be getting attention because NYPD was conducting an investigation outside their jurisdiction. Allow me to put this issue to bed. Police agencies conduct investigations outside their jurisdiction all the time.

How many of them do so under the claim that they aren't conducting official police duties?

[Haruko]

Yeah, I remember police just trying to cross the border from Texas to Oklahoma to force some Democratic legislators to return for a vote, and Oklahoma police showed up with shot guns outside the hotel where the legislators were staying to make sure it did not happen, since they were outside their jurisdiction. It is a big deal if police try to act outside their jurisdiction. It can be argued that this case was an emergency, but even then....

[Kamakazie Sith]

This one seems to be getting attention because NYPD was conducting an investigation outside their jurisdiction. Allow me to put this issue to bed. Police agencies conduct investigations outside their jurisdiction all the time.

WTF? How is the use of police powers outside their assigned area lawful? The only way a police officer should have powers outside their jurisdiction is in case of emergency. What is the reason for this?

What were they doing that involved the use of police powers? I didn't see anything in the article. Don't misunderstand me. I do not like what the NYPD is doing here but they aren't violating any laws.

Though I have to correct myself. Going outside of their own state is unprecedented.

How many of them do so under the claim that they aren't conducting official police duties?

What about their activities makes you think this is inaccurate?

[General Zod]

What about their activities makes you think this is inaccurate?

How is it legal for police officers to be doing "unofficial" investigations outside their jurisdiction? Even if they found some evidence of wrongdoing somehow wouldn't a judge throw out any charges they could bring up?

[Kamakazie Sith]

Yeah, I remember police just trying to cross the border from Texas to Oklahoma to force some Democratic legislators to return for a vote, and Oklahoma police showed up with shot guns outside the hotel where the legislators were staying to make sure it did not happen, since they were outside their jurisdiction. It is a big deal if police try to act outside their jurisdiction. It can be argued that this case was an emergency, but even then....

Except in this case they were going to Oklahoma to conduct official duties under Texas constitution. In the OP they're simple watching, photographs, and writing down information. Something you could do right now.

[Kamakazie Sith]

What about their activities makes you think this is inaccurate?

How is it legal for police officers to be doing "unofficial" investigations outside their jurisdiction? Even if they found some evidence of wrongdoing somehow wouldn't a judge throw out any charges they could bring up?

If they made any arrests off their information then that would violate the law. If they simply gave their information to say the FBI then that would not. Basically, it'd be like a common citizen providing intel to law enforcement.

[General Zod]

If they made any arrests off their information then that would violate the law. If they simply gave their information to say the FBI then that would not. Basically, it'd be like a common citizen providing intel to law enforcement.

Which begs the question of how could the FBI legally make use of anything the police gathered, because it seems like a great way to skirt around the 4th amendment. I'd like to think there's a huge difference between "happening to notice something" and "actively spying on a group of people for weeks."