U.S. Army Police Threaten to Sue Public Intelligence
January 4, 2011 in Threats and Takedown Notices
On December 30, 2010, Captain Andrew Poulos, Jr. of the U.S. Army Police sent Public Intelligence a threatening demand to remove a document from this site. The U.S. Army Police Intelligence Fraudulent Law Enforcement Credentials and Badges Guide, which was posted less than ten hours prior to the demand, is a “law enforcement sensitive” and “for official use only” document that details forged credentials which may be used by criminals and terrorists posing as law enforcement officials. The document is unique in that the warnings against publication featured on its cover claim to subject anyone who publishes the document to penalties, stating that the “release of information contained herein without the permission of the United States Government is prohibited by law, and may subject those responsible for its unauthorized release to criminal and/or civil penalties”. The message sent by Captain Poulos seems to echo this statement, demanding that if we do not remove the document we must “provide the name and contact information for the individual for which legal process can be served.”
This, of course, is absurd, as it is a well established fact that there are no prohibitions on the publication of “for official use only” (FOUO) documents by those outside of the U.S. government. In fact, a recent Congressional Research Service report makes it clear that even the publication of classified information is protected under the First Amendment. Government employees and contractors sign non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from being able to disseminate FOUO information without facing penalties. However, an average citizen is not bound by any of these restrictions.
This site is not bound by any legal requirements to conceal FOUO information. Far from it, we are actually empowered with a fundamental right to publish it. Despite Captain Poulos’ statements, we do not require the government’s permission to publish information. It is our constitutional right to inform ourselves and others via the dissemination of information in the public interest. Many of the documents published on this site have been written about in newspapers and publications around the world, in scholarly articles, and even in documents produced by the U.S. Government. In fact, the Department of Defense has cited FOUO documents from this site in its official doctrine publications.
Subject: Unauthorized Posting of U.S. Government Document (UNCLASSIFIED)
From: “Poulos, Andrew Mr CIV USA IMCOM” <Andrew.Poulos@us.army.mil>
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:02:07 -0500
To: <legal@publicintelligence.net>Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONEThis website has posted a Restricted U.S. Government document titled U.S.
Army Police Intelligence Fraudulent Law Enforcement Credentials and Badges
Guide. This document was obtained and posted without the permission of the
U.S. Government. Remove the document immediately. If you will not comply
with its removal, please provide the name and contact information for the
individual for which legal process can be served.Captain Andrew Poulos, Jr.
Investigations Division
Department of the Army Police
977 Murphy Drive
Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703
Office: (732) 532-4203
Fax: (732) 532-5684Email: andrew.poulos@us.army.mil
SIPRNET: andrew.poulos@us.army.smil.milClassification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Related Material From the Archive:
- Army Requests Removal of Document from Public Intelligence
- New York Fusion Center Requests Identity of Public Intelligence Sources
- U.S. Air Force Requests Removal of Documents from Public Intelligence
- Virginia Fusion Center Again Requests Removal of Documents from Public Intelligence
- FEMA Requests Removal of “Classified” Document from Public Intelligence
- Las Vegas Police Request Removal of Document from Public Intelligence
- Third U.S. Fusion Center Requests Removal of Document from Public Intelligence
- Multiple Fusion Centers Request Removal of Documents from Public Intelligence
Common law vs. real power structures.
But who is the unlawful?
I like Public Intelligence site and and it’s very useful for other law enforcement colleagues,
If I were you, I would forward his note to your friendly local Congresscritter and ask nicely just WHAT authority this Captain has to threaten civilians who haven’t set foot inside his fenceline.
The Army LOVES to get “Congressionals” – it makes the Generals get all tingly knowing that they have yet another Captain making waves with the citizenry. Chances are that no one in the JAG office was given the courtesy of a consult.
I’ll lay odds the Captain will be walking the fenceline after Fort Monmouth closes.
Sometimes we do put to much information up and it does make it easy for the bad guys to find out anything they want. The captain just hasn’t realized there is no hope for keeping anything sacred anymore!
He is a CIVILIAN, DoD Police Officer who gave himself the title of Captain with NO training.
We wre mentioned in this report.
The US Army Police have used photographs in this report………..but the photographs are copyrigt and THEY DO HAVE MY PERMISSION TO USE THEM…………….Can I sue the US Army Police for breech of copyright?