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Before Using StingRays, Police Must Sign NDA With FBI
v3rgEz writes Advanced cell phone tracking devices known as StingRays allow police nationwide to home in on suspects and to log individuals present at a given location. But before acquiring a StingRay, state and local police must sign a nondisclosure agreement with the FBI, according to documents released via a MuckRock FOIA request. As Shawn Musgrave reports, it's an unusual setup arrangement for two public agencies to swear each other to secrecy, but such maneuvers are becoming more common.
Of course we won't arrest you for drunk driving or domestic assault Mr. FBI, just like you won't arrest us for violating civil rights or using this highfalutin' cell phone spy gizmo.
Because if they don't get a warrant, and don't tell the judge how they acquired the evidence, it's still OK, right?
"Stingrays" are more generically called "IMSI catchers". There isn't really anything terribly secret about them, except where they're used and for what purpose.
I can only hope. From your fingers to God's eyes.
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
They are impersonating wireless carriers which is fraud.
I read the title as "sign DNA" rather than "sign NDA". I got excited thinking about a deal signed in blood...
NT
Who goes to jail? Everyone who signed the NDA?
Edward Snowden. He's also responsible for all future acts of Terrorism, wars, and the color Beige.
Unless, of course, they have additional functions outside of those that have been publicly disclosed.
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
I can only hope. From your fingers to God's eyes.
The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms.
- Adolf Hitler
If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves.
- Joseph Stalin
I gave the categorical order to confiscate the largest possible number of weapons of every sort and kind. This confiscation, which continues with the utmost energy, has given satisfactory results.
- Benito Mussolini, address to the Italian Senate, 1931
All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party.
- Mao Tze Tung, Nov 6 1938
Guns, for what?
- Fidel Castro
If I could have banned them all – ‘Mr. and Mrs. America turn in your guns’ – I would have!”
- Diane Feinstein
All things being equal that sounds right to me, however, I don't think all things are equal here.
Now IANNAL but as I understand it an agreement to break the law cannot be a legal contract. Agreeing to not disclose something which the police have no right to actually refuse to disclose is an agreement to break the law; is it not?
Also, as I understand it, an agreement to break the law, is itself a criminal act known as conspiracy.
If the local police and FBI are entering into an agreement which would require them to break the law to conform to, and they then conform to the agreement, how is that not a criminal conspiracy?
Seriously, I don't doubt they have some technical legal out but, if they do, its a technical loophole and a serious weakness in the law as it stands, because all I see here is conspiracy to obstruct justice by withholding evidence.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
This is so frightening to think that no one can discuss what it is they are doing. This type of behavior WILL lead to secret police forces subverting the legal system; This WILL bring about a new Nazi SS, or Soviet Union KGB; This WILL be the undoing of the United States of America and the rights of the people.
Anybody involved with these secret underground forces is not to be respected nor obeyed!!!
An IMSI catcher is a cell tower that re-directs to another cell tower. So all traffic to and from your phone goes through it. Voice, meta data, data, email, text messages. Of course they are legally required to get a warrant before they tap your phone, but the rest is probably up for grabs. Assuming they follow the law.
If the only thing you can get out of that is "godwin" you need to update yourself on the topic. That is, fascism always marches towards disarming a population in order to further it's own agenda. A disarmed population is a cowed population.
Om, nomnomnom...
I can only hope. From your fingers to God's eyes.
Oh noes...guns. So we've got guns in Canada, and guess what? We don't have the murder problem, what you have in the US in a culture problem. Or rather a culture problem with sections of your society, should I just point out the obvious? Well what the hell I've got karma to burn. If you remove black gun related crime guess where the US would sit in terms of gun violence? Not much higher than most countries in Europe. You can bury your heads in the sand, scream "zomg racist" all you want and the longer you continue to do so, the longer the problem remains unresolved. It's the same in Canada with drinking and driving, and aggravated assault. The vast majority of these cases resolve around two groups: Jamaicans and Natives. With Jamaicans it's mainly around the drug trade, especially hard drugs and Natives it's DUI, and violent altercations while intoxicated. That's why they're the two most represented minority clases in our prisons.
I'm sure someone will trot out the "but countries that have banned guns..." yes indeed, they have pretty much eliminated gun violence. Of course criminals moved onto knives, bats, and other things. Which is why in a place like the UK if you're under 18 you can't buy a knife easily, and why assault with a weapon is the most commonly laid charge with "blunt force, or lacerations" being the primary indicator in cases of death or AS.
I'm sure someone with an agenda will start modding this into oblivion, and I say "disprove it." The stats are out there, you can see them yourself on wikipedia and can order them under FOIA/Open Access in various countries. You don't like it? Tough, it's reality. You want it changed, fix the problem.
Om, nomnomnom...
I don't see how anything a police department does could count as a trade secret, given that everything they do is covered by FOIA laws. I don't see how admitting to spying on people without a warrant could violate their right to privacy.
Let me guess -- you're part of the animals that count more.
Defense attorneys need to ask any and all law enforcement offers who they depose and/or question on the stand if Stingray was used in the case. This is the best way to undermine this.
In the late 20th century, you could tell the drug dealers because they carried one-way pagers.
In 21st century, you'll be able to tell the drug dealers because they all carry one-way pagers.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff