UPDATE: February 20, 2015 - The Portland City Council voted 3-2 to rejoin the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The council will consider the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the FBI on February 25. We will call on Council to require changes to the MOU before it is approved.

Since 2005, when Portland ended its full participation in the JTTF, the Police Bureau has cooperated with the FBI only on a case-by-case basis. We strongly supported the City’s decision because of the FBI’s long history of targeting people in terrorism investigations based primarily on their political and/or religious beliefs.

History has taught us again and again that the federal government, including the FBI, uses invasive and unconstitutional surveillance tactics in the name of “counter-terrorism” and “national security.” Oregon law prohibits state and local law enforcement from collecting or maintaining records on the political, religious or social activities of individuals or organizations – unless there is evidence of criminal activity. Unfortunately, the FBI operates under very different laws.

The only way for the Portland Police Bureau to ensure that it is complying with Oregon laws and the Constitution is to stay out of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Portland should always have the ability to engage with federal law enforcement when an actual threat of terrorism exists, but the current structure and lack of transparency put our rights and safety at risk.

Once again, we must remind our elected officials that the Constitution and the fundamental civil liberties of Americans should not be compromised in the name of national security. We cannot protect freedom by undermining freedom. The Constitution is not an obstacle to security; it is a road map to safety.