In New York City, the local police and the feds do not get along when it comes to counterterrorism, reports National Public Radio. The FBI has assigned Joe Demarest to help patch things up between the New York Police Department and the FBI. After the terror attacks in Mumbai, the FBI sent handful of agents there. A day later, New York City sent its own team – which rankled the feds.
Last month, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly accused the Justice Department of dragging its feet on approving wiretap applications. The Justice Department said the New York police were asking for wiretaps that broke the law. Angry letters between Kelly and Attorney General Michael Mukasey went public. Demarest, assistant director in charge of the bureau’s New York division, left the FBI last year to become head of international security at Goldman Sachs, but he was called back by FBI Director Robert Mueller. Demarest was told to get things back on track in New York between the FBI and NYPD. By most accounts, he has the personality to do so.
Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97986537