Sample Documents from the Spy Files

Multiple Examples of Political Spying from the Denver Police Spy Files

Denver Police Spy File, dated February 14, 1986, regarding Islamic Center & Mosque. The report states that "a religious service or other important gathering" was going on. Intelligence officers gathered a list of license plates of the vehicles parked in the lot and then ran each plate number through law enforcement computers.
Memorandum dated October 24, 1997 from Detective Tom Fisher, titled "Intelligence Categories," in which American Friends Service Committee and Amnesty International are classified as "Anti-Government (Domestic)."
Statement of DPD officer Larry Valencia, dated May 12, 2000, recounting his undercover infiltration of a political meeting while wearing a transmitter. For Detective Ayon's account of this undercover operation, which he refers to as an "ongoing investigation," click here.
Spy File report dated January, 1983, stating that Denver police "covered" a demonstration in Boulder organized by the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES). The report states that the CU police will furnish photographs for the Denver police Spy Files.
Spy Files report dated May 4, 1983, stating that CU campus police provided information on CISPES at CU Boulder. The report, which states that "photos have been ordered" of the 3 individuals identified as leaders, advises that any information about their activities should be forwarded to CU Boulder campus police.
Spy File document dated January 16, 1984, stating that Colorado Springs police provided a list of license plate numbers of vehicles observed at a CISPES demonstration. The report was accompanied by a list of 101 individual names and plate numbers.
Email intended for members and supporters of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense, dated Aug. 20, 2001. This email, which explains that the animal rights organization would hold a garage sale to raise money to rent billboards to protest the Ringling Brothers Circus, was intercepted by Tim DeLaria of the UC Boulder police department. He forwarded it to George Kennedy and Kathy Miklich of the Denver Police Department's Intelligence Unit.

Spy Files discussed in "They Know When You Are Sleeping," by Katha Pollitt, originally published in The Nation, January 27, 2003

Spy File Document released by ACLU on January 22, 2003

Denver Police Spy File dated April 1, 1999, on AFSC participation in demonstration at Peterson Air Force in Colorado Springs [PDF]

Additional Spy File documents discussed in "Colorado Springs police surveillance information appears in Denver Spy Files," ACLU News Release, November 21, 2002

Denver Police Spy File on demonstration at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, dated April 6, 1999 [PDF]
Denver Police Spy File on lecture at Colorado College in Coloado Springs, dated April 8, 1998 [PDF]
Denver Police Spy File on conference on Space, Nukes and International Law, dated February 6, 1999 [PDF]
Denver Police Spy File on Pikes Peak Justice & Peace Commission, dated April 12, 1999 [PDF]
For discussion and analysis of the foregoing four documents, see "Colorado Springs police surveillance information appears in Denver Spy Files," ACLU News Release, November 21, 2002.

Spy Files documents initially released at the ACLU's news conference, March 11, 2003. These documents were also attached as exhibits to the Complaint that initiated the ACLU's class action lawsuit on March 28, 2003

FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force

Spy Files documents indicating that the FBI's Joint Terrorist Task Force is tracking peaceful protesters. In connection with the litigation over the Denver Police Department's Spy Files, the ACLU of Colorado obtained documents that indicate that the FBI's Joint Terrorist Task Force (JTTF) has been gathering information and building files on the activities of peaceful protesters who have no connection to terrorism or any other criminal activity. Click here to read more.

Multi-Agency Group Intelligence Conference (MAGIC)

Spy Files Documents relating to the Multi-Agency Group Intelligence Conference (MAGIC). Documents obtained by the ACLU from the Denver Police Spy Files litigation reveal that intelligence officers from at least two dozen Colorado law enforcement agencies to swap political intelligence information at bimonthly meetings of a little-known organization known as the Multi-County Group Intelligence Conference (MAGIC). Click here to read more.