A senior Illinois appellate judge has said if the state's wiretapping law is overturned, gang bangers "will rejoice."

U.S. 7th Circuit Judge Richard Posner made the remarks during a hearing where the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the Illinois Eavesdropping Act should be overturned to allow citizens to monitor officers.

The act prohibits members of the public from secretly recording audio of their interactions with law enforcement officers, because it requires the consent of all parties regardless of whether the conversation is public or private. Citizens can currently videotape officers without their consent.

Posner said overturning the law would help gangs monitoring each other, including allowing them to secretly record police informants.

Source:Chicago Sun-Times.