Laws and surveillance techniques intended to fight organized crime and terrorists are being used in Britain to go after dog owners whose pets foul the grass.

It seems six different borough councils have now admitted to using the surveillance laws to monitor, arrest and prosecute owners who failed to clean up after their dogs.

Brian Binley, an MP (Member of Parliament) for Northampton South condemned his local borough council for "acting like Dick Tracy" with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), which is intended for use "in the interests of national security."

Figures released by Northampton borough council show Ripa powers had been used five times since the act came into force in 2000 to take action against owners who failed to clear up after their dogs, according to this article in The Guardian.

A council spokeswoman said she could not say what sort of surveillance was undertaken, but that it could have been the use of cameras or simply personal surveillance.

Other councils, including Derby, Bolton, Gateshead and Hartlepool, have also owned up to using the Ripa powers to fight dog mess, according to the article, and the Gosport borough council has admitted that its officers used "digital cameras and binoculars to catch those failing to scoop up their dogs' poo."

"I am perfectly happy to give police powers in order to fight terrorism and very serious crime, but when it gets to this level you really have to question it," Binley said.

All of this makes me wonder even more about the helicopters I see hovering overhead nearly every afternoon at Riverside Park when I walk my dog, Ace. Are they collecting footage of leash law violators? Capturing digital images of those who don't scoop up after their dogs? Naaaaah, I'm just being paranoid. Aren't I?