“ACLU: Most US Police Don’t Seek Warrants Before Tracking Cell Phones” @ PC World

Posted on April 2, 2012

Grant Gross — April 2, 2012: “Many law enforcement agencies across the U.S. track mobile phones as part of investigations, but only a minority ask for court-ordered warrants, according to a new report released Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union.

More than 90 law enforcement agencies said they track mobile phones during investigations, but only six of those agencies reported receiving court-approved warrants after demonstrating that there’s probable cause of a crime, according to an ACLU report based on public information requests filed by the group last year.

Ten agencies, including the Hawaii Department of Public Safety and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, told the ACLU they do not track mobile phones.

In most cases, police received subpoenas, typically from clerks of court or prosecutors, to track mobile phones, theACLU said in its report.

The report raises “disturbing” privacy and civil liberties issues, said Catherine Crump, staff attorney for the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project……………………………………”

Read more at PCWorld.