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Demeter

(85,373 posts)
54. Fed Reserve, a Privately Owned Banking Cartel, Has Been Given Police Powers, Glock 22s, Patrol Cars
Sat Sep 22, 2012, 08:16 PM
Sep 2012

JUST WHAT WE NEEDED, ANOTHER DOMESTIC, MERCENARY FORCE

http://www.alternet.org/economy/federal-reserve-privately-owned-banking-cartel-has-been-given-police-powers-glock-22s-and?akid=9429.227380.m-eJ9_&rd=1&src=newsletter714511&t=13&paging=off


By mid morning on Monday, September 17, as Occupy Wall Street protesters marched around the perimeter of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, all signs that an FRPD (Federal Reserve Police Department) existed had disappeared. The FRPD patrol cars and law enforcement officers had been replaced by NYPD patrol cars and officers. That decision may have been made to keep from drawing attention to a mushrooming new domestic police force that most Americans do not know exists. Quietly, without fanfare or Congressional hearings, the USA Patriot Act in 2001 bestowed on the 12 privately owned Federal Reserve Banks domestic policing powers.

Section 364 of the Act, “Uniform Protection Authority for Federal Reserve,” reads: “Law enforcement officers designated or authorized by the Board or a reserve bank under paragraph (1) or (2) are authorized while on duty to carry firearms and make arrests without warrants for any offense against the United States committed in their presence…Such officers shall have access to law enforcement information that may be necessary for the protection of the property or personnel of the Board or a reserve bank.”


The police officers are technically known as FRLEO, short for Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer. The system has its own police academies for training, their own patch and badges, uniforms, pistols, rifles, police cars and the power to arrest coast to coast without a warrant. They have ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and a recruitment ad campaign with the slogan: “It’s about respect and recognition from your peers. It’s you.” According to a former St. Louis Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Training Instructor, the officers are trained on pistol, rifle, auto-rifle, sub-gun and shotgun with manufacturers encompassing Smith & Wesson, Glock, Remington and Armalite....The San Francisco Fed ran an ad for Captain Specialist, noting that “you will be charged with gathering and disseminating law enforcement intelligence information to the District.” It also noted that the individual would need to “obtain and maintain top secret clearance.” Typically, that clearance level is reserved for only the highest positions in the Federal government. A recruitment ad for the Richmond Fed indicates their FRLEOs would be plugged into the nation’s criminal databases: “The Law Enforcement Unit has an immediate opening for a Communications Center Operator, reporting to the Center leadership team in Richmond, Virginia. The pay is $32,458 — $40,573…[the officer will query] “information from a variety of law enforcement data bases for information, wants/warrants, intelligence, driver’s license and vehicle information, etc.” The Cleveland Fed notes that the job “may include, but would not be limited to: use of deadly or non-lethal force…”

FRLEOs now even have their own Federal Reserve Policemen’s Benevolent Association, Local 385. The group’s Facebook page carries the statement that it is a “government organization.” The site says the group “was established to create a fraternal organization for its membership and to act on behalf of the members as a liaison between the New Jersey State PBA and all other police agencies within the state and the country.” The connection to New Jersey likely stems from a now deceased police officer, James Rose, from Moonachie, New Jersey, who was a FRLEO in New York and helped to establish Local 385. In addition, the Regional office of the New York Fed is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey...The FRLEOs employed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. are considered employees of the Federal government since the Board is a government entity. Each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks, as settled law under Lewis v. United States confirms, is a private corporation owned by commercial banks in its region. An email to several of the Federal Reserve Banks confirmed that they regard their FRLEOs to be privately employed by the bank...In addition to regular policing functions, the Federal Reserve police have been observed in airports with rifles, functioning as dignitary protection teams. Various recruitment ads confirm that this is sometimes part of the job. Buttressing the private nature of the Federal Reserve Banks, the Maiden Lane building that the Occupy Wall Street protesters were swarming around this morning, chanting “F*** the Fed,” was purchased on February 28, 2012 by the New York Fed, which had previously been leasing the building. According to the press release the “Federal Reserve Bank of New York (New York Fed) today announced that it has acquired the building at 33 Maiden Lane for $207.5 million from Merit US Real Estate Fund III, L.P. and established a new, wholly owned limited liability company called Maiden & Nassau LLC to serve as owner of the building.”

The Federal Reserve Building up for sale at 301 Rosa L. Parks Avenue in Nashville has this slogan engraved on the building: “Federal Reserve System Through Which Our Banks and Government Join Hands to Further the Enduring Prosperity of American Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.” There is nothing in that motto that shows a concern for the average American. And that’s the problem inherent in the continuing venting of anger against Wall Street banks and their perceived crony patrons at the Fed who gave them trillions of dollars in low-cost bailout loans and then fought a court battle to keep the loans a secret. That domestic policing functions have now been added to the mix can only create more suspicions and hostility. There is also the obvious question as to why the expense, training and potential liability of armed police would be necessary when all of the Federal Reserve Banks are in cities with large municipal police forces. With private bankers sitting on the Boards of each of these Reserve Banks, many of whom are officers of banks under criminal investigation, there is the serious need for Congressional investigation into how the Nation’s criminal databases are being used by the private sector as well as the further chilling of protest and dissent from another new sheriff in town.

************************************************************

Pam Martens worked on Wall Street for 21 years. She is the Editor of Wall Street On Parade.



NO BANKS DOWN, YET Demeter Sep 2012 #1
Mitt Romney Video: GOP Candidate Wants To 'Clean House' At Federal Agencies Hugin Sep 2012 #4
Hugin! Long Time no See! Welcome Back! Demeter Sep 2012 #8
I'm always lurking about, somewhere. Hugin Sep 2012 #15
House Dems propose taxing equity trades to fund new federal programs Demeter Sep 2012 #2
First RECCE! Hugin Sep 2012 #3
Today's official high was 97 Tansy_Gold Sep 2012 #5
With me, it's not the heat. It's the drought. Hugin Sep 2012 #6
Revised stats Tansy_Gold Sep 2012 #7
We are getting a long, slow soak tonight, and about time Demeter Sep 2012 #9
We have an errant tropical storm in the vicinity, since we're talking about weather (& climate), Ghost Dog Sep 2012 #38
How often does that happen? Demeter Sep 2012 #58
Normally, it's very rare. But TS Delta hit us sideways in 2005. Ghost Dog Sep 2012 #76
scratched a hard frost off the vehicles yesterday Po_d Mainiac Sep 2012 #22
It's getting nippy in SW Ohio DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #43
Forget About QE… I’m Worried About UC (UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES) Demeter Sep 2012 #10
Take the Test to See If You Might Be Considered a “Potential Terrorist” By Government Officials Demeter Sep 2012 #11
Only scored a 62.5 n/t Po_d Mainiac Sep 2012 #21
Draghi and Bernanke’s Worst Nightmares Are About to Unfold Demeter Sep 2012 #12
It’s Time to Air Out Ben Bernanke’s Dirty Laundry Demeter Sep 2012 #13
No Wonder the Economy Isn’t Improving Demeter Sep 2012 #14
you left out a biggie Po_d Mainiac Sep 2012 #20
How many trillions of Dollars are we going to let the Fed spend? DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #39
It's that Marshall Law phase that's gonna suck. n/t Po_d Mainiac Sep 2012 #72
A GRIM HARVEST LIES BEFORE US Demeter Sep 2012 #16
This dedication goes out to that hard working Ann R. Hugin Sep 2012 #17
Drug Giants Fined $11bn for Criminal Wrongdoing Demeter Sep 2012 #18
Get some sleep, everyone...the pace picks up in the morning Demeter Sep 2012 #19
Gold coin pasty's....LMAO Po_d Mainiac Sep 2012 #23
it's saturday xchrom Sep 2012 #24
Party like hedonists DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #40
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Mitt Romney's Housing Plan Has Got To Be A Joke xchrom Sep 2012 #26
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Deposit Flight From Europe Banks Eroding Common Currency MUST READ Demeter Sep 2012 #28
Now In The Media: European Deposit Flight Demeter Sep 2012 #29
Oh, I think you've been aware for awhile, this just solidfies the conversion, n/t DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #42
Wyoming Has The Least Income Inequality In The Country xchrom Sep 2012 #30
Italy Upholds Rendition Convictions For 23 Americans Demeter Sep 2012 #31
Walmarting India. Is this a good way for India to "develop"? Ghost Dog Sep 2012 #32
+1 xchrom Sep 2012 #34
It's all about the corporations, lobbyists, banksters DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #44
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David Cay Johnston: How the Rich Get Richer DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #48
Yuri Milner: 40 Million Retail Jobs Are Going To Disappear xchrom Sep 2012 #33
THE PROBLEM, DEAR BRUTUS, LIES NOT IN OUR STARS... Demeter Sep 2012 #35
Bringing In The Sheaves xchrom Sep 2012 #36
Is Julian Assange's Asylum Claim Legit? STUDY IN RULE OF LAW Demeter Sep 2012 #37
10 Great Paying Jobs You Can Get Without a 4 Year College Degree Demeter Sep 2012 #41
LAND OF THE ROMNEY "MOOCHERS" Demeter Sep 2012 #46
Okay, I'm taking a Sanity/Reality Break Demeter Sep 2012 #47
David Cay Johnston: A Close Look At Your Bills' 'Fine Print' DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #49
and how WE'VE PAID for these bloodsuckers profits bread_and_roses Sep 2012 #64
Charles Hugh Smith: It's not about "saving" housing, it's about saving the banks. DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #50
Mark Cuban: What Business is Wall Street In? DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #51
'Lunch Atop A Skyscraper,' Famous New York City Photograph, Turns 80 DemReadingDU Sep 2012 #52
Because of a quirk in anatomy... AnneD Sep 2012 #73
A Pot of Red Lentils - Welcome Autumn! Loge23 Sep 2012 #53
A crock pot full of AnneD Sep 2012 #74
Fed Reserve, a Privately Owned Banking Cartel, Has Been Given Police Powers, Glock 22s, Patrol Cars Demeter Sep 2012 #54
The Looming Threat That Could Initiate the Next Economic Collapse Demeter Sep 2012 #55
AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGMENT, HERE'S THE LATEST KOCH NEWS Demeter Sep 2012 #56
ANOTHER QUARRANTINED TOPIC: ROMNEY Demeter Sep 2012 #57
Neil Young - Harvest Moon xchrom Sep 2012 #59
Portugal backs down on social security tax rise xchrom Sep 2012 #60
Shipping magnate John Fredriksen sticks to his ‘gut feeling’: Invest xchrom Sep 2012 #61
Olive oil prices to soar after Spanish drought devastates crop xchrom Sep 2012 #62
François Hollande's popularity plummets four months after election xchrom Sep 2012 #63
"...Progressive Politics in their Historical Dimension" bread_and_roses Sep 2012 #65
+1 xchrom Sep 2012 #67
+1 ladyslipper Sep 2012 #75
Eurovegas won’t hit the jackpot xchrom Sep 2012 #66
A bright spot: "Victory in Quebec" bread_and_roses Sep 2012 #68
small farms large benefits xchrom Sep 2012 #69
Authorities raid French offices of UBS in tax probe xchrom Sep 2012 #70
Thanks to all you who posted! I'm calling a wrap on this weekend. Demeter Sep 2012 #71
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