Civil rights groups criticize police surveillance

Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Civil rights groups are calling on the Boston Police Department to stop what they're calling the agency's routine monitoring of political demonstrations and investigations of activists who aren't criminal suspects.

Police officials say that isn't their practice, but admitted saving some intelligence reports unrelated to crime for too long due to a computer glitch.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the National Lawyers Guild of Massachusetts sued the department last year.

They claim that it turned over materials that show officials tracked and kept records on peaceful groups.

In a Tuesday letter, the groups called on the department to not use minor crimes to collect information about peaceful demonstrators.

Police officials said Bostonians "should confidently participate in any lawful, peaceful protest" knowing police aren't monitoring events if they don't suspect crime.