Passed by the Congress and signed into law in 2001, the U.S Patriot Act influenced the law enforcement by increasing the responsibilities of security agents to avert terrorism. The ruling allows the officers to use wiretaps and surveillance to track and investigate organized crime in the country. Equally, the regulation offers both the officers and security agents a broad mandate to fight terrorism internally and internationally (Fox 23). As such, the rule has been a center of controversy among the public and law makers. However, the law was ordained mainly to eradicate anachronistic statues that deter effective surveillance and intelligence practices by the governmental authorities.
Impact of the PATRIOT Act on the Law Enforcement
The enactment of the Patriot Act increased the application of various apparatus integrated to fight drug traffickers and terrorists. The regulation affects the law enforcement by enabling the officers and security agents to use surveillance and wiretapping to determine organized crimes (Pell and Christopher 137). The statute further allows the federal body to request court orders to enhance the incorporation of wiretaps in tracking a particular terrorist suspect. The ruling permits the law enforcement officials to perform an inquiry without alerting the attackers. The Patriot Act not only facilitates the exchange of information and coordination among the government authorities but also promotes the update of the law to include new inventions and present forms of threats (Pell and Christopher 137). Considerably, the ruling has increased the charges for individuals found guilty of committing terrorism and help in preventing the harboring of criminals.
Conclusion
The enactment of the Patriot Act in the year 2001 was primarily to enhance the country’s security agents to determine and avert terrorism. The law eradicates the anachronistic regulations that prevent effective surveillance and intelligence activities of the authorities. The Act permits application of wiretapping by the officers to investigate organized crimes. Furthermore, the provision allows information exchange and coordination among surveillance organizations.
Works Cited
Fox, Mark. “The PATRIOT Act: Liberty Afire.” Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science Vol. 1, No. 1, 2013. scholarworks.sjsu.edu/themis/vol1/iss1/3/
Pell, Stephanie, and Christopher Soghoian. “A Lot More than a Pen Register, and Less than a Wiretap: What the Stingray Teaches Us About How Congress Should Approach the Reform of Law Enforcement Surveillance Authorities.” (2014). https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1102&context=yjolt