[ak4g]

My siblings in this thread need to learn about the reforms that were done post-Watergate. The rule of law governs everyone, especially law enforcement, in the USA. If you don't believe that, why do you think lawmakers bother with getting laws passed to allow surveillance in the first place?

You can't have it both ways. Either LEO follow the letter of the law and we're not in some 1984 scenario (because there are, in fact, substantial protections for privacy under the law), or they do not, and we're left with this mystery of why things like the USA PATRIOT Act exist, which now needs to be explained.

[DanBC]

I'm confused by your post. We see that these police had extensive legal surveillance powers available to them, but chose not to use those and to break the various laws to illegally spy on these people.

[tremon]

The rule of law governs everyone, especially law enforcement, in the USA

How many law enforcement officials have been indicted for homicide again?

[effie]

Rule of law guarantees law will be applied, not that people rights and freedom will be upheld.

[TallGuyShort]

And it's not even much of a guarantee of that.