In a letter dated July 28, 2015, the FBI said it could neither confirm nor deny that it has contract J-FBI-09-211, which has to do with “Landshark” restricted software used with the Harris StingRay. This document is referenced in FBI letters to Harris Corporation in which the FBI notifies Harris of its approval of a law enforcement agency’s non-disclosure agreement. This non-disclosure agreement is required before the law enforcement agency can purchase a cell site simulator such as a StingRay, KingFish, or HailStorm from Harris Corporation. The letter from the FBI states, Please be advised that upon reviewing the substantive […]

On June 18, 2015, ShotSpotter issued a press release announcing the installation of its SecureCampus product at Newark Memorial High School in Newark, California. The contract was signed on December 16, 2014, by Bryan Richards, the Chief Business Official for the Newark Unified School District. Since the contract doesn’t cost anything in its first year (although the contract values it at $110,389), it did not go before the Newark School Board for approval, which means that the community and staff have not had an opportunity to discuss the privacy implications of the 35 microphones already installed throughout the campus. The […]
In a letter dated June 8, 2015, the FBI responded to my request for a copy of the April 6, 2010, agreement between the FBI an Harris Corporation. This April 6, 2010, agreement is referenced in the approval of law enforcement agency’s non-disclosure agreements that are required before the law enforcement agency can purchase a cell site simulator such as a StingRay, KingFish, or HailStorm from Harris Corporation. The letter from the FBI states, Please be advised that upon reviewing the substantive nature of your request, we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of records responsive to your request […]
In a response to a public records request from April 22, 2015, on June 1, the Pennsylvania State Police released a redacted administrative regulation for the use of “Telecommunication Identification Interception Devices” also known as cell site simulators, IMSI catchers or Stingrays. Administrative regulation AR 9-16 references Pennsylvania’s Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act and specifically refers to interception of electronic communications. The Pennsylvania State Police FAQ on cell site simulators (CSS) claims that the CSS “cannot intercept the content of voice calls or text messages” nor can it obtain “cellular telephone numbers…of any user of a cellular device.” While […]
In a May 28, 2015, response to a public records request, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), released an unredacted non-disclosure agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Despite releasing the unredacted NDA, the BCA still claims that portions of the Harris Corporation Terms and Conditions, descriptions of what it purchased and their prices are still exempt from disclosure: It should be noted that portions of these documents have been redacted pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13.82, subd. 25 as they would reveal deliberative processes or investigative techniques of this agency that would disclose the […]
In response to a January 28, 2015, public records request and after I sent $1.14 to cover the cost of copies, the Phoenix Police Department sent a copy of its February 11, 2013, non-disclosure agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With other non-disclosure agreements from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore Police Department, and Ventura County Sheriffs Office, we can readily determine what text was redacted from the NDA. Nearly all of the redactions are references to hiding information about the StingRay from the judicial system. From the bottom […]
On May 19, 2015, the Tacoma Police Department released a February 13, 2013, letter from the FBI to Harris Corporation permitting it “to sell the state-and-local version of the Stingray product with the restricted [“Landshark”] software to the Tacoma Police Department.” The complete text of the letter: Attention: Patricia Sciandra Re: Contract J-FBI-09-211 “Landshark” Restricted Software Request Approval – Tacoma Police Department Dear Ms. Sciandra: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has an approved non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in place with the captioned law enforcement agency. In accordance with the cited restricted software agreement and the April 6, 2010 agreement between […]
On February 27, 2015, California Senator Jerry Hill introduced SB 741, which “would require that require local governing bodies in California to take public comment before implementing cell phone intercept technology.” SB-741 was discussed at a meeting of the California Senate Judiciary Committee on May 12, 2015. After opening remarks by Senator Hill, Tracy Rosenberg of the Bay Area Civil Liberties Coalition spoke in favor of the bill and Aaron Maguire of the California State Sheriff’s Association spoke against the bill. Maguire said, We are in respectful opposition to the bill. We’re in opposition to actually several bills that are […]
Previously, the Ventura County Sheriff released a heavily redacted non-disclosure agreement with the FBI and similarly redacted terms and conditions from Harris Corporation (See http://www.cehrp.org/ventura-county-sheriff-has-a-stingray/). Today, I received the following responses to my appeal: Harris Government Communications Systems Division Terms and Conditions of Sale for Wireless Equipment, Software and Services, dated February 15, 2011 Software Key License Reactivation Addendum, dated February 28, 2011 Acquisition of Wireless Collection Equipment/Technology and Non-Disclosure Obligations, dated May 29, 2012 Contract J-FBI-09-211 “Landshark” Restricted Software Request Approval – Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, dated June 12, 2012 Harris Government Communications Systems Division Terms and Conditions of […]
In a February 13, 2015, response to my public records request, the Boston Police Department indicated that it had records responsive to my request, but “The information you have requested is exempt from disclosure by MGL c. 4 s. 7(26)(f) and (n). Disclosure of the information contained in these documents would not be in the public interest and would prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement.” As the public records request only asked for information related to Harris Corporation equipment, this indicates that the Boston Police Department has a Harris Corporation cell site simulator, probably a StingRay.