Policing Porn Is Not Part of Job Description (Homeland Security cops policing porn at library)

Washington Post ^ | 2-17-2006 | Cameron W. Barr

[Cagey]

Two uniformed men strolled into the main room of the Little Falls library in Bethesda one day last week and demanded the attention of all patrons using the computers. Then they made their announcement: The viewing of Internet pornography was forbidden.

The men looked stern and wore baseball caps emblazoned with the words "Homeland Security." The bizarre scene unfolded Feb. 9, leaving some residents confused and forcing county officials to explain how employees assigned to protect county buildings against terrorists came to see it as their job to police the viewing of pornography.

After the two men made their announcement, one of them challenged an Internet user's choice of viewing material and asked him to step outside, according to a witness. A librarian intervened, and the two men went into the library's work area to discuss the matter. A police officer arrived. In the end, no one had to step outside except the uniformed men.

They were officers of the security division of Montgomery County's Homeland Security Department, an unarmed force that patrols about 300 county buildings -- but is not responsible for enforcing obscenity laws.

In the post-9/11 era, even suburban counties have homeland security departments. Montgomery County will not specify how many officers are in the department's security division, citing security reasons. Its annual budget, including salaries, is $3.6 million.

Later that afternoon, Montgomery County's chief administrative officer, Bruce Romer, issued a statement calling the incident "unfortunate" and "regrettable" -- two words that bureaucrats often deploy when things have gone awry. He said the officers had been reassigned to other duties.

Romer said the officers believed they were enforcing the county's sexual harassment policy but "overstepped their authority" and had to be reminded that Montgomery "supports the rights of patrons to view the materials of their choice."

[rhombus]

the problem is in identifying what is porn and what is not. I'm not sure I want some random "County Homeland Security Officers" doing the deciding. Do you?

Not a chance. More wasted tax money.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

These guys would have been in hog-heaven if the could have been with the BATFE in Waco on April 20th, 1993.

[Publius6961]

At least they weren't Feds. Although it wouldn't have surprised me if they were.

If their uniforms read "Homeland Security" they were Feds, or could exist only under the umbrella of the federal agency.

Makes me almost want to go to a library to confront these clown "firemen" (Fahrenheit 451)

[tfecw]

"Really though. I don't care what you view in your home, but I don't like my tax dollars paying for someone to get thier rocks off in a public library."

I think i heard Chris Core (sp?) saying that all the dc metro area libraries have this policy. While it's easy to drum up an image of a special "porn" viewing back room with computers in the library that's not the case. The VA libraries I've been to have their Internet accessible computers in plain view next to the check out lines. I would doubt anyone checking out whitehouse.com with 50 little kids running around. Of course, I only go after 5 so i have no clue what goes on in the day time. The library just doesn't filter their traffic. So yes, technically you could view porn, but i guess it's an exception.

The articles I've seen on this topic have been very vague. I originally heard these guys were there to police "inappropriate material" which doesn't necessarily mean porn. Also, the 2 sources I've heard don't go into detail with what the man they asked to step out side was viewing. Was he looking at the 06 sports illustrated swimsuit calendar or somedirtyrandomcrazyfetishpornsite.com?

[rhombus]

We KNOW that Al Qaueda used coded messages in Porn Pics to transmit instructions/messages to operatives.

Which is why Homeland Secutity should be looking at porn. ;-)

[rhombus]

When crisis strikes, you will probably be on your own.

Bingo!

[rhombus]

When crisis strikes, you will probably be on your own.

Bingo!

[Publius6961]

but I don't like my tax dollars paying for someone to get thier rocks off in a public library.

If you're serious and your conviction is strong enough, have your local authorities do it (good luck). Having federal minimum wage goons doing it is a recipe for disaster.

[pepsionice]

When you have some county sheriff dimwits...getting funding from the Homeland security pot...to buy a boat or two...to police the local lakes and rivers...and hand out tickets for drunk boaters...you have reached the peak of the whole mess. I know of at least one county in Alabama that did get some homeland security funding and did exactly that. The idea that Alaska is getting the same size chunk of money as Florida...also brings out questions. This is all a budget game...get your chunk and get more empire.

[tfecw]

"My gut feeling tells me there was more to this than meets the JPEG!"

As i mentioned earlier, no one seems to want to report what this guy was actually look at. My guess it was a website, not a personal email account. They could have run whatever tests they needed to remotely and if this guy was doing something shady, they wouldn't have left without him.

[colorado tanker]

Citizens Auxiliary Police?

[Wolfie]

I'm sure they're funded by some goofy post 9/11 Federal giveaway, but the article said they're locals.

[willyboyishere]

Homeland Security dic*heads. How pathetic. Although in hindsight, it has been proven that viewing pornography is a "gateway" to aiding and abetting Islamic terrorists.(sarc off)

[Jeff Gordon]

Your kind of thinking leads to taking the polar route to get to Washington from New York.

[Muleteam1]

Maybe another source for this story? I wouldn't believe the Washington Post if they said good morning.

Muleteam1

[WoofDog123]

waiting for the 'cops do no wrong' crowd to defend this...

[Jhohanna]

Ok, I hope that's sarcasm....it sure is funny!

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5336

[MonroeDNA]

Let's guess: Liberal nutcases or conservative nutcases?

Nutcases, for sure.

Who is anti-porn to the point of appointing themselves as the porn police?

[kinghorse]

sounds like a lie planted by leftists to make people put the pressure on their congressperson to not renew the Patriot Act. Baghdad Bob stuff.