Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHAT IS SURVEILLANCE?
What exactly is surveillance? Surveillance is really nothing more than
gathering information, generally from physical observation or the inter-
ception of telephone, fax, and e-mail or radio communication. The spe-
cific purpose of surveillance is to compile intelligence relative to the
movements, associates, and activities of the target of the surveillance. In
law enforcement, the purpose of surveillance is to acquire evidence or
intelligence, usually to support a criminal prosecution of the subject. In
special circumstances, law enforcement does not use surveillance as an end
to a prosecution but rather to amass intelligence information on suspected
foreign agents, organized crime, or other subversive domestic groups.
Terrorists and/or criminals conduct surveillance as a prelude to commit-
ting a crime or terrorist attack.
Surveillance can be conducted in several ways. There is both physical
surveillance and technical surveillance. Physical surveillance generally
refers to watching the movement and activities of the subject of the sur-
veillance. The surveillance
can either be mobile or sta-
tionary but is generally both.
Mobile surveillance refers
to actively following some-
one on foot, in a vehicle,
or both. The purpose is to
track subjects' movements:
determine where they go,
routes of travel, what they
do, and whom they meet. A
stationary surveillance refers
to a fixed location from
where the surveillant can
watch the subject. It may
be done from an adjacent
building, a parked vehicle,
or even from a fixed posi-
tion on foot.
Exhibit 10.1 shows a typical setup for a fixed surveillance point using
a parked car as the “point” or “eyeball.” Notice the number of interven-
ing cars between the target and surveillance vehicle. This gap makes it less
Exhibit 10.1
Fixed Surveillance
