Texas PD to upgrade Stingray equipment through federal grant

By Mike Morris
Houston Chronicle

HOUSTON — The Houston Police Department won City Council approval Wednesday to upgrade controversial surveillance equipment commonly known as a Stingray - a device capable of acting as a fake cell tower and forcing nearby phones to reveal their locations and call logs.

HPD plans to use a $495,000 federal grant to purchase updated technology from Harris Corp. to replace one of three models the department uses, buying two pieces of electronic hardware, a laptop controller and related software. The purchase is similar to ones the city has approved several times since 2007, but this conversation comes as the secretive Stingrays have spurred debates about electronic privacy and constitutional rights nationwide, and two bills addressing their use have been filed in the state Legislature.

Civil liberties activists spoke against the move at council this week, criticizing the secrecy that surrounds the technology - nondisclosure agreements keep much unknown about the devices' operations - and saying police could use the tool to monitor protesters. Mayor Annise Parker, City Council members and police officials, however, said the devices are needed to prevent terrorism, pursue wanted suspects and rescue victims in cases such as kidnappings.

Full Story : Council approves controversial HPD surveillance upgrade