FBI Report: White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement

The Department of Homeland Security recently identified white supremacists as the gravest terror threat to the United States. [https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/04/white-supremacists-terror-threat-dhs-409236]

This FBI Intelligence Assessment is a document from 2006 that has recently resurfaced in the wake of widespread racial justice protests. The document describes the efforts of white supremacists groups to infiltrate and exploit their connections inside law enforcement agencies. Click here for the full reading: https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/White_Supremacist_Infiltration_of_Law_Enforcement.pdf

"This assessment examines white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement from perspectives of both strategic infiltration by organized groups and self-initiated infiltration by law enforcement personnel sympathetic to white supremacist causes. The primary threat from infiltration or recruitment arises from the areas of intelligence collection and exploitation, which can lead to investigative breaches and can jeopardize the safety of law enforcement sources or personnel.

White supremacist presence among law enforcement personnel is also of concern due to the access they may possess to restricted areas vulnerable to sabotage and to elected officials or protected persons, whom they could see as potential targets for violence. Though least verified by reporting, this last scenario gains prominence given the training and access to firearms provided to law enforcement personnel in their line of duty. In addition, white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement can result in other abuses of authority and passive tolerance of racism within communities served.

White supremacist leaders and groups have historically shown an interest in infiltrating law enforcement communities or recruiting law enforcement personnel.

In March 2001, [William] Pierce began focusing the National Alliance’s (NA) recruitment efforts toward individuals associated with academic institutions, members of the military, and law enforcement officers.At that time, the NA had a military unit and hoped to form a law enforcement unit comprised of current and former federal, state, and local law enforcement and corrections officers.

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is notable among white supremacist groups for historically having found support in many communities, which often translated into ties to local law enforcement. Although the First Amendment’s freedom of association provision protects an individual’s right to join white supremacist groups for purposes of lawful activity,

the government can limit the employment opportunities of group members who hold sensitive public sector jobs, including jobs within law enforcement, when their memberships would interfere with their duties."

Join our discussion about this issue here: https://www.biedsociety.com/forum/america/counterterrorism-in-the-u-s