| http://oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?o0079_BC_
OR-XGR--PoliceEavesdr&&news&ornews Senate passes police eavesdropping measure The Associated Press 4/25/01 9:39 PM SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would reverse the effects of a court ruling that has barred police from recording conversations by electronic surveillance without a search warrant. The measure, SB654, now goes to the House. The Oregon Supreme Court in December ruled that state laws on eavesdropping require police to get a warrant before using so-called body wires to listen to or record conversations. The tactic most often is used in drug cases. Police say the restriction is a burden because they don't always have time to get warrants as those cases develop. The bill would revise eavesdropping laws to allow warrantless recordings when officers have "probable cause" to believe a drug crime or prostitution was being committed, or that another felony was being committed and that the immediate circumstances made it unreasonable to obtain a court order. Sen. John Minnis, R-Wood Village, a Portland police detective, said the bill would make officers violating the law subject to misdemeanor charges, with penalties of up to a year in jail for convictions. |
