IN THIS SECTION What are Stingrays     Alaska     New Mexico     ACLU on Stingrays     ACLU Lawsuit against ICE     WHAT ARE STINGRAYS - CELL SITE SIMULATORS Stingrays, also known as "cell site simulators" or "IMSI catchers," are invasive cell phone surveillance devices that mimic cell phone towers and send out signals to trick cell phones in the area into transmitting their locations and identifying information. https //www aclu org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them Wikipedia The use of Stingrays by United States law enforcement is an investigative technique used by both federal and local law enforcement in the United States to obtain information from cell phones by mimicking a cell phone tower. Stingray use in United States law enforcement - Wikipedia Alaska 2016/09/16   Anchorage police give details on cellphone surveillance after ACLU records request.  By David Kelly. https //www adn com/alaska-news/anchorage/2016/09/07/anchorage-police-give-details-on-cellphone-surveillance- after-aclu-records-request/ Excerpt:  Anchorage officials said Wednesday the city has only sparsely used the cellphone surveillance equipment recently targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union for its ability to spy on Americans.  The disclosure by Anchorage police and the city's attorney, prompted by an ACLU of Alaska records request, came amid a national controversy about how law enforcement monitors cellphones of Americans. The ACLU has been petitioning law enforcement agencies around the country for information about a class of devices that track cellphone use and locations.  Anchorage police say their device is now obsolete.  Known by names like "StingRay" and "KingFish," the technology allows police departments to intercept cellphone signals. The small, rectangular devices can fit in a backpack and present themselves to phones as cellphone towers. The device can potentially capture texts, calls, emails and other data, but Anchorage police say their device was only capable of locating cellphones. https //www adn com/alaska-news/anchorage/2016/09/07/anchorage-police-give-details-on-cellphone-surveillance- after-aclu-records-request/ CPR https //www cpr org/2014/10/21/whos-catching-your-cellphone-conversations/ ACLU ON STINGRAYS Note from PF: Much of what we have on Stingrays comes from the ACLU. The ACLU’s input (Caution: alternative views of ACLU found on Rivergold; there are indications the ACLU is linked to anti-American agendas including hostile forces from outside the United States; however, we need to know what they are saying and doing, whether or not their ultimate interests are in protecting mainstream America or not; some of the information might be useful for any citizen; always be prepared to watch for antics, including the Two Horns aspect discussed on River Gold like the pot calls the kettle black, or the fireman is the fire starter, or the great white knight is the man behind the knife - in other words, do not always take what this group says and does at face value, there might be hidden aspects).  The thing to consider here is that anti-American groups do not want American security to track their dangerous activities.  Although in the wrong hands tracking devices can and likely do harm any of us, there can be additional agendas behind so-called “good guy” civil rights groups.  For example, Saudi Arabia is a totalitarian state which uses Stasi-like technology to control its people.  When Sunni and Shiite extremists from Saudi Arabia or any other African or Middle Eastern country defy American laws using civil rights groups like the ACLU, it is a game of chess and two- facedness.  We can indeed learn things from the ACLU and other related groups, but we need to be smart about who is supposedly being our friend in these matters.  We do not want mean fanatics of any persuasion tracking us out of discrimination or retaliation while misusing their access through the law, but at the same time, we must have our eyes open about exactly why groups like the ACLU might not like a strong national security system up and operating in the USA. https //www aclu org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them ACLU LAWSUIT AGAINS ICE Fast Company (2019/12/11) ICE’s Stingray cellphone spying ignites lawsuit from the ACLU https //www fastcompany com/90442318/ices-stingray-cellphone-spying-ignites-lawsuit-from-the-aclu New Mexico Albuquerque Arstechnica: (2017 Albuquerque police refuse to say if they have stingrays so ACLU sues Albuquerque police refuse to say if they have stingrays, so ACLU sues "These devices are incredibly invasive and the government isn’t being transparent." CYRUS FARIVAR - 7/10/2017, 9:50 AM https //arstechnica com/tech-policy/2017/07/albuquerque-police-refuse-to-say-if-they-have-stingrays-so- aclu-sues/ Govtech: (2018) Police in Albuquerque NM admit to the use of Stingray Device https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Police-in-Albuquerque-NM-Admit-to-the-Use-of-Stingray-Device.html --- Stingrays Experienced Criminal Lawyers: Stingrays http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ Excerpt:  These devices are used by law enforcement to track individuals. But they are far different from using someone’s phone to track them via GPS. What makes them different is that they are extremely accurate, able to pinpoint someone’s location within a few meters, meaning you could be tracked as you move from one room in your home to another. Also, these devices act as their own cellular network. So, if the police use it against their suspect, or target, they will also be able to track everyone in that person’s vicinity. Finally, the stingray doesn’t only provide benign location information; the technology exists for it to capture content—including text messages and web traffic on a device. -- See Experienced Criminal Lawyers below http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ Tech Dirt:  EFF-ACLU Public Records Laws Team Up to Expose Hidden Stingray Use Milwaukee Police. By Tim Cushing 04/26/2016) https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160424/20274734266/eff-aclu-public-records-laws-team-up-to-expose-hidden- stingray-use-milwaukee-police-department.shtml Excerpt of quote inside this article:  As we’ve seen in other cases involving Stingrays, the government did everything it could in this case to hide the fact that it used a Stingray—from the court that issued the pen register/trap and trace order, the court that heard Patrick’s motion to suppress the evidence, and even from Patrick, himself. In police reports, the officers said only that they “‘obtained information’ of Patrick’s location; . . . had ‘prior knowledge’ that Patrick was occupying the vehicle; . . . [and] ‘obtained information from an unknown source’ that Patrick was inside the vehicle at that location.” https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160424/20274734266/eff-aclu-public-records-laws-team-up-to-expose-hidden- stingray-use-milwaukee-police-department.shtml Wnd: San Diego Police Sued Over StingRay Surveillance (2014) Excerpt:  Last week, the First Amendment Coalition filed a lawsuit (pdf) against the department and the city asking them to disclose any information they have about the possession and use of International Mobile Subscriber Identity Catchers (IMSI), better know in the trade as Stingrays…. http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/san-diego-police-sued-over-stingray-surveillance/ The New American: Police Use “StingRay” Device to Monitor Cellphones (2014) Excerpt:  Using a device called StingRay, police across America are able to intercept calls and texts from cell phones — often without a warrant. The StingRay simulates a cell tower, prompting cellphones within its range to identify themselves and transmit their signals to the police instead of the nearest mobile network operator’s tower. http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/17908-police-use-stingray-device-to-monitor- cellphones EFF:  When a Secretive Stingray Cell Phone Tracking “Warrant” Isn’t a Warrant (2013) Excerpt: An Arizona federal court this afternoon will be the battleground over the government's use of a "Stingray" surveillance device in a closely watched criminal case, United States v. Rigmaiden. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/when-stingray-warrant-isnt-warrant Experienced Lawyers: Stingray Government Tracking and Suveillance Tool http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ stingrays sections updated 12/20/2016 Stingrays https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/when-stingray-warrant-isnt-warrant http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/17908-police-use-stingray-device-to-monitor- cellphones https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160424/20274734266/eff-aclu-public-records-laws-team-up-to-expose-hidden- stingray-use-milwaukee-police-department.shtml http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/san-diego-police-sued-over-stingray-surveillance/ --- Stingrays Experienced Criminal Lawyers: Stingrays http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ Excerpt:  These devices are used by law enforcement to track individuals. But they are far different from using someone’s phone to track them via GPS. What makes them different is that they are extremely accurate, able to pinpoint someone’s location within a few meters, meaning you could be tracked as you move from one room in your home to another. Also, these devices act as their own cellular network. So, if the police use it against their suspect, or target, they will also be able to track everyone in that person’s vicinity. Finally, the stingray doesn’t only provide benign location information; the technology exists for it to capture content—including text messages and web traffic on a device. -- See Experienced Criminal Lawyers below http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ Tech Dirt:  EFF-ACLU Public Records Laws Team Up to Expose Hidden Stingray Use Milwaukee Police. By Tim Cushing 04/26/2016) https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160424/20274734266/eff-aclu-public-records-laws-team-up-to-expose-hidden- stingray-use-milwaukee-police-department.shtml Excerpt of quote inside this article:  As we’ve seen in other cases involving Stingrays, the government did everything it could in this case to hide the fact that it used a Stingray—from the court that issued the pen register/trap and trace order, the court that heard Patrick’s motion to suppress the evidence, and even from Patrick, himself. In police reports, the officers said only that they “‘obtained information’ of Patrick’s location; . . . had ‘prior knowledge’ that Patrick was occupying the vehicle; . . . [and] ‘obtained information from an unknown source’ that Patrick was inside the vehicle at that location.” https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160424/20274734266/eff-aclu-public-records-laws-team-up-to-expose-hidden- stingray-use-milwaukee-police-department.shtml Wnd: San Diego Police Sued Over StingRay Surveillance (2014) Excerpt:  Last week, the First Amendment Coalition filed a lawsuit (pdf) against the department and the city asking them to disclose any information they have about the possession and use of International Mobile Subscriber Identity Catchers (IMSI), better know in the trade as Stingrays…. http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/san-diego-police-sued-over-stingray-surveillance/ The New American: Police Use “StingRay” Device to Monitor Cellphones (2014) Excerpt:  Using a device called StingRay, police across America are able to intercept calls and texts from cell phones — often without a warrant. The StingRay simulates a cell tower, prompting cellphones within its range to identify themselves and transmit their signals to the police instead of the nearest mobile network operator’s tower. http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/17908-police-use-stingray-device-to-monitor- cellphones EFF:  When a Secretive Stingray Cell Phone Tracking “Warrant” Isn’t a Warrant (2013) Excerpt: An Arizona federal court this afternoon will be the battleground over the government's use of a "Stingray" surveillance device in a closely watched criminal case, United States v. Rigmaiden. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/when-stingray-warrant-isnt-warrant Experienced Lawyers: Stingray Government Tracking and Suveillance Tool http://www.experiencedcriminallawyers.com/stingray-government-tracking-and-surveillance-tool/ Updates: 2020/05/30 additions - Alaska, CPR; page started 2020/05/30  2019/12/31

Stingrays Cell Site Simulators