Widespread Power News Today

Vague language in the state's framework for spending its opioid settlement money leaves the door wide open for law enforcement spending. Boulder County used a sliver of its funds to expand its phone-hacking capabilities, tools local officials say are critical for combatting drug trafficking. Critics point to abuses nationally and globally, and say the technology is an unchecked expansion of police power.

Boulder County used a sliver of its opioid settlement funds to expand its phone-hacking capabilities, tools local officials say are critical for combatting drug trafficking.

Ahead of a powerful storm, weather warnings have been issued for much of Maine.

Report details widespread illegal extraction of smartphone data by US law enforcement A report published in October by a nonprofit technology rights organization has revealed that thousands of smartphones are searched by law enforcement every day across the US, many of them without a warrant and in violation of the Fourth Amendment’s guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures. In the report entitled, “Mass Extraction: The Widespread Power of U.S. Law Enforcement to Search Mobile P...

As winds continue to whip through the Santa Clarita Valley, firefighters are battling another brush fire in Canyon Country where structures may be threatened. Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel responded to reports of a brush fire on the 28100 block of Whites Canyon Road, near Todd Longshore Park, just after 2:30 p.m., according to spokesman Chris Thomas. “Units just got on (the) scene a few minutes ago,” Thomas said at 2:50 p.m. “(They’re) getting structure protection in plac...

Los Angeles County Public Health on Friday confirmed 374 new deaths and 692 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 27,284 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley. In addition, Public Health announced an update to the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order which will reflect newly permitted activities allowed in the orange tier. With vaccination rates increasing and the state’s COVID-19 test positivity rate near a record low, the California Department of Public Health on Friday released updat...

Forensic Focus Legal Update December 2020: Refining Search & Seizure; New Laws & Guidance 11th December 2020 The fourth quarter of 2020 has seen some significant legal developments when it comes to digital evidence. In this issue (which also happens to be the anniversary of the inaugural Forensic Focus Legal Update), we highlight: Search warrant reform in the United Kingdom Court decisions at various levels of the United States federal court system, including the U.S. Supreme Court New federal ...