LEAA is the nation's largest coalition of law enforcement professionals and crime victims representing over 65,000 Americans. I am testifying on behalf of American's for Computer Privacy, a broad-based coalition working to ensure that the privacy of American communications is preserved and protected in the information age. I am also a retired police officer. Without encryption, the electronic networks that control such critical functions as prison records, the air traffic control system, and the public telephone system would be vulnerable.
Many governmental agencies utilize encryption.
The federal government should also be interested in helping to defend U.S. business interests against compromises of information or security leaks. In today's market, businesses and individuals transmit considerable amounts of confidential information, including items such as financial records and assets, project and merger proposals, medical records, trade secrets, and research and development information through electronic channels. More significantly, U.S. businesses are competing on a worldwide basis making them potential targets for competitors, foreign governments or vandals. So if by using encryption we can reduce computer theft crimes and lower economic espionage it is a net gain for law enforcement. As a police officer I swore to protect this nation, its citizens and its laws, but the current Administration's policy flies in the face of our founding fathers, running afoul of the first, fourth, fifth and tenth amendments.