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Answer: Military Grade surveillance tech > Naturally, it wasn’t just $4.5 million for four 2026 Chevy Tahoes, though the SUVs themselves were still bizarrely e
by randycupertino 3mo ago
Answer: Military Grade surveillance tech
> Naturally, it wasn’t just $4.5 million for four 2026 Chevy Tahoes, though the SUVs themselves were still bizarrely expensive at $150,000 a piece. Here’s how the purchase order breaks down:
- FalcoNet Core System (x4): $2,850,000
- Unlicensed FalcoNet core system: $200,000
- Delta 5G Perpetual license for FalcoNet V (x4): $280,000
- 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe (x4): $600,000
- FalcoNet Backpack core V2 – 6 x BTS (2G/3G/4G/5G): $355,500
- Flexable [sic] antenna kit: $27,000
- Cognyte PA Ranger: $105,000
- Unlicensed FalcoNet Backpack core V2 – 6 x BTS (2G/3G/4G/5G): $70,000
- Total PO Amount: $4,487,500
- ronsor 3mo agoEvery police station needs to be a mini-CIA, surely.
- WillPostForFood 3mo agoIt is 4 trucks for the state police, and it is a big state.
- OutOfHere 3mo agoMass surveillance is prohibited by the Constitution. The majority of the funds went toward it.
- fhdkweig 3mo agoState or federal constitution?
- OutOfHere 3mo agoIt is prohibited by the nation's Constitution which overrules all contained regions. The contained regions can add further restrictions, not lower them.
- fhdkweig 3mo agoI'm pretty sure that surveillance is not mentioned in the US Constitution. They didn't really have a concept of surveillance. Can you quote the line?
- deleted 3mo ago[deleted]
- OutOfHere 3mo agoThe Supreme Court has over multiple cases recognized that the collection of mass digital information can implicate Fourth Amendment protections. Here is the foundational line: > "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." It clearly says: The right of the people to to be secure in their persons and effects against unreasonable searches shall not be violated.
- fhdkweig 3mo agoWell the problem comes down to what is considered "unreasonable searches". When I think "surveillance", I think cameras on cars that photograph everything they pass by. The courts have again and again considered those to be reasonable with no expectations of privacy. And the trucks in this article are doing exactly that.
- DangitBobby 3mo agoWireless cell communications have no expectation of privacy?
- cwmoore 3mo agoHave you asserted or waived your rights? You may have the right to consult an attorney.
- cucumber3732842 3mo agoUnder the 4th amendment which has been incorperated against the states in the 1960s.
- alwa 3mo agoMaybe so, but four physical trucks, interpreting physical radio waves in their immediate vicinity, allocated across the whole state of Texas… that’s “targeted,” not “mass.”
- CWuestefeld 3mo agoI'm pretty sure you're misunderstanding the definition of "targeted". It has nothing to do with the total capacity of the system, it's about the ability differentiate a specific target from everything else. The design of these systems is the opposite of that: they're intended to intercept everything within their reach. The fact that with only four devices, their reach isn't (yet) so great has no bearing.
- alwa 3mo agoIt’s the “within their reach” that constitutes the targeting, it seems to me. Maybe “particularized scrutiny” is a better word? Each fancy radio can only be in one place at one time, and presumably with a human operator in the vehicle or wearing the backpack. Which emulates a cell station, not all tens of thousands of them in the state simultaneously. That feels much more like “DUI checkpoint checking all cars on this road at this time,” or “canvassing the neighborhood around the crime,” or “the stadium operator invited the cops into the security office to watch their CCTV feeds during the big game.” Precipitated on some reason—maybe not the specific human, but something that’s different about that place and time that warrants a human targeting their attention there. As opposed to the network-level, “all communications between all people all the time just in case” that constituted the “mass” surveillance that Snowden described (and Flock has since innovated and extended to the physical world).
- FireBeyond 3mo ago> Each fancy radio can only be in one place at one time 5G mid-band (let's go with the charitable option) has an effective range of up to 2miles. So no big deal, just all 5G communications within up to a 12sq mi circle surrounding the vehicle. Don't think that's exactly "targeted".
- nilamo 3mo ago4 trucks... That can intercept and record all nearby 5g traffic? That's not even useful for police lmao
- cucumber3732842 3mo agoYou'd think the real CIA would get pissy about these upstarts and stomp em.
- yourapostasy 3mo agoMaybe the Chevy Tahoes were priced as the initial capex, and a maintenance and support contract covering capex and opex for the next X years with a local dealership? I’ve sometimes seen this in corporate budgeting. Some companies prefer to lock in support and maintenance in advance for a more expensive fixed price instead of pay a variable but lower price over the same time period because of the budgeting vagaries that entails. Considering the amount of time and the number of expensive management staff involved in them I’ve seen some budgeting knife fights burn up, I see the logic.
- adverbly 3mo agoThe obvious question then becomes why 4 military-grade surveillance Tech Tahoes are needed. Was three not enough for the current demand for military grade surveillance by the police? Why is there so much demand for military grade surveillance? Is there a better way to address that core need? A million bucks buys a lot of essential services.
- troupo 3mo agoJohn Oliver did a report on militarization of police 11 years ago. It's only become worse since: https://youtu.be/KUdHIatS36A?is=C86HI8463VZnqjXU https://youtu.be/KUdHIatS36A?is=C86HI8463VZnqjXU
- fingerlocks 3mo agoAnd Radley Balko blogged about it every day 20 years ago before publishing a book in 2013 literally subtitled as The Militarization of America’s Police
- janderson215 3mo agoThe cartels have also militarized. Bit of a vicious cycle we’re in.
- FireBeyond 3mo agoYes, the cartels have always been at war with the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division...
- janderson215 3mo agoYou say it sarcastically, but any law enforcement agency is an enemy of the cartels goals and therefore at risk in the event of intervention.
- FireBeyond 3mo ago