Law enforcement “function creep,” the gradual expansion or alteration of the powers, authority, or technological capabilities of a police force or other law enforcement agency, can have serious negative implications for civil liberties and privacy. As law enforcement agencies are given new tools or interpret existing tools in new ways, they may begin to use the powers or technologies in ways that were not originally intended or anticipated. This can result in the erosion of civil liberties and an increase in surveillance and control over the general population.
Highlighting this concern, a 2022 Surveillance and Society journal article titled “From Banal
