In 1975, in the wake of both the Watergate scandal and the exposure of COINTELPRO, the Church Committee was formed to investigate overstepping on the part of federal law enforcement and intelligence gathering agencies.
Following the recommendations of that committee, the U.S. Congress passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, placing limits on the power of police and Federal agencies.
Since 1978, the term "Red Squad" has resurfaced repeatedly to describe any action by police or Federal agencies that is deemed to be oppressive to a social or political group.
The term "Red Squad" has been used to describe New York City Police Department infiltration of liberal groups, first in preparation for the 2004 Republican National Convention and then continuing until today.
On the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, during the fourteenth episode of season two, titled “Paranoia,” Det.