Ceausescu gave them enormous power to block any threats in opposition to his regime. As a result the Securitae was in direct violation of the rights guaranteed by the constitution. It's agents maintained surveillance on private citizens by: monitoring their contacts with foreigners, screening their mail, tapping their telephones, breaking into their homes and offices, and arresting and interrogating those suspected of disloyalty to the regime . Most of the people were trapped because they could not leave the country. If they did their whole family would be persecuted and most likely some of them would be killed. There were also numerous spies, who helped the Securitae find people that opposed Ceausescu's rule or that didn't follow his illogical laws . The people were indoctrinated and taught to help the regime find "criminals- who didn't like the regime. These spies were in each aspect of the society, from professors to doctors and lawyers. Everywhere around the country there was someone that reported suspects to the Securitae. During this time the regime was completely under his control. .
Another control mechanism perfected by Ceausescu was "rotation", a policy applied after 1971 to strengthen his personal power at the expense of political institutions . Rotation moved officials between party and state bureaucracies and between national and local posts. This policy removed Ceausescu's potential rivals before they were able to develop their own power. If they did develop he would kill them, which he did in the case of Vasile Milea, the defense minister . He was killed because he was a threat to Ceausescu. He was getting too powerful therefore Ceausescu decided to wipe him out.
In one month in 1987 over the course of one month he dismissed eighteen ministers from the Council of Ministers and approximately one third of the legislative body that was established by the Constitution to administer all national and local agencies .