The Brighton Town Board has approved a resolution that asserts its rights --- and by extension the rights of its residents --- when faced with the demands of a National Security Letter. Town officials say the resolution's purpose is to protect constitutional freedoms from infringement by the Patriot Act.

Now the Rochester Civil Liberties Coalition, which worked with Brighton on the resolution, is looking to other Monroe County towns to do the same.

The town and the coalition say the resolution sends an important message, particularly in light of charges that the FBI has improperly used National Security Letters, had sloppy record-keeping, and failed to follow proper procedure.

"You might call it the perfect storm," Brighton Supervisor Sandra Frankel says of the timing of the Town Board's vote.

National Security Letters are subpoena-like demands for information issued by the FBI. They have been in use for decades, but the 2001 Patriot Act eliminated many restrictions on their use. The Patriot Act permits gag orders, which prevents recipients of the letter from even disclosing that they have received it.

The Brighton resolution says the town can challenge any National Security Letter a town employee receives if an examination deems the letter to be unlawful. It also says the town will consider challenging any gag provisions included in the demands.

The resolution also sets procedures for town staff to follow if a National Security Letter is received.

Asked whether the town had received any National Security Letters, Frankel said she couldn't answer the question. But the resolution does provide for some oversight of the process, Frankel said.

"In the aftermath of the FBI's abuses of the NSL's, we thought it was important to focus on issues like that," Frankel said.

The resolution was a tough issue for the town to tackle, Frankel said. The board investigated the issue, and it and the coalition held sessions to inform the public and themselves on the matter. The programs included an informational panel featuring local scholars and an attorney from the FBI's Buffalo office.

The coalition hopes to take the process used in Brighton to other towns, said Nancy Braiman, coordinator of the Rochester Civil Liberties Coalition. Gauging public support in other towns and finding residents who want to get involved will be crucial, she said.

"We would go where we believe there would be community support for this," Braiman said.