MR. CHAIRMAN, members of the Task Force, thank you for the opportunity to again testify before your Committee. I have had the opportunity to watch the operations of the New York State Police Intelligence Unit, also known as the Special Services Unit, for the past 23 years. From 1954 to 1956, I served as an investigator for a New York State Joint Legislative Committee; and during 1964, I was an investigator for a New York State Senate Committee. In these capacities, I worked closely with New York State Police. From 1965 to 1975, I served on the staff of the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the House Committee on Internal Security. From 1971 to 1975, I was Minority Chief Investigator of the House Committee on Internal Security. In both official and private capacities, I have provided intelligence information and advice to the New York State Police since 1954.
I was born and raised in New York City and spent 35 years there. Although, I am not a resident of New York State, at this time, I have many relatives and friends both in the City and State. The safety and security of the people of New York is of continuing concern to me. In addition, in today's world, terrorists and subversives find it easy to travel not only from state to state, but from country to country, so this is not a local problem.
During my previous testimony in Executive Session, I outlined the problem of trans-national terrorism and the responsibility of the police to gather intelligence to prevent terrorist acts. Unfortunately, as a result of your Committee's investigation, the New York State Police has been derelict in its duty in this regard. Its Intelligence Unit has been disbanded and its files sealed.
The hearing, today, relates to your suggestions on legislation to prevent police intelligence gathering. It is clear from reading your report on "State Police Surveillance", dated September, 1977, that such legislation is not necessary. In fact, it would be counter-productive and detrimental to the interests of the people of New York.
The investigation by your task force was based on allegations made against the New York State Police by William F. Haddad an employee of Stanley Steincut, the Speaker of the New York State Assembly. It is clear from your report that every significant allegation made by Haddad was untrue.
Haddad in his report to Speaker Steinqut dated October 27. 1975 (Marked confidential and released to the press) stated that the State Police intelligence files were, "political dossiers" (page l). He further stated that, "these files are political in origin, political in content, political in intent." (page 5) Your report stated,
"The original newspaper reports on the Special Services Files described the Files as ‘political dossiers.’ We have found that most of the notations on political figures do not comprise dossiers in the sense that a complete detailed file was deliberately compiled on an individual's life and activities. However, through extensive news and magazine clip-pings, large amounts of information were collected on political figures. There is no evidence that these files were used for improper purposes."
"One of the functions of Special Services personnel is to provide security for the Governor and other political figures when they are appearing in public. This includes national and foreign figures such as ambassadors, the President, national candidates, and Cabinet officials. Many of the so-called 'dossiers' kept on State and national political figures which were reported on in the press appear to have been reports of the individual's spe
