Decius wrote:

Two DeKalb County Officers are being investigated for allegedly performing a background check on President Barack Obama.

Reading between the lines here, these guys can run background checks on whoever they want and there are absolutely no institutional safeguards whatsoever. The Secret Service found out about this one because they monitor NCIC transactions related to the President and his family. The county is "shocked, shocked" to learn that the systems are being used for entertainment purposes.

There was a big scandal at the THP last year because of something similar. Officers were looking up info on political appointees. Then THP leadership tried to cover it up saying that they had already disciplined everyone appropriately. This is exactly the examples to show when people worry about excessive power by the state for eavesdropping, cameras, etc.