The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) spent almost $4.5 million on four 2026 Chevrolet Tahoes equipped with the FalcoNet cell-site simulator system, according to a DPS memo and purchase order obtained by The Drive.
The purchase was classified as an emergency to bypass standard procurement review, the memo stated. The document dated March 2026 requested "approval for emergency purchase necessary to protect the safety and welfare of state personnel and property," according to the records.
The memo did not specify the nature of the emergency, instead asserting that "any delay in procuring would compromise employee safety, public safety, operational readiness and overall mission success." The purchase order shows the total included $600,000 for the four vehicles themselves, with the remaining $3,887,500 allocated to the FalcoNet surveillance equipment and related accessories.
FalcoNet Technology and Its Capabilities
FalcoNet, manufactured by Israeli firm Cognyte, impersonates cell towers to force nearby mobile phones to connect to it, allowing the system to capture data from thousands of devices per minute, according to Cognyte marketing materials cited by The Drive. The system collects location and device identification data from all phones within range without targeting specific individuals, according to the FalcoNet user guide obtained by The Drive. Technology experts have described the system as operating in secret, intercepting the connection between a phone and the nearest legitimate cell tower.
The purchase order breaks down the equipment costs: four FalcoNet core systems at $2,850,000; a perpetual license for FalcoNet V at $280,000; two FalcoNet backpack cores capable of 2G/3G/4G/5G interception at $355,500; a flexible antenna kit at $27,000; and a Cognyte PA Ranger system at $105,000, plus unlicensed backup systems. The same system is already in use in Florida, according to government purchase orders reviewed by The Drive.
Procurement Process and Lack of Specifics
The DPS Criminal Investigations Division requested emergency approval for the purchase on unspecified grounds, records show. The memo stated the equipment was needed "immediately" and that delaying the procurement process "could result in unacceptable safety risks to personnel" but provided no further explanation of the threat or operational need. The use of emergency procurement allows agencies to bypass competitive bidding and normal oversight requirements, according to standard state procurement rules.
The total purchase price of $4,487,500 includes $150,000 per Tahoe – well above the standard price for a police pursuit vehicle, which typically costs around $50,000 to $70,000. The majority of the cost went to the FalcoNet surveillance systems themselves. DPS did not respond to requests from The Drive for comment on how the collected data will be handled or whether a warrant will be required before using the system.
Legal Context: Supreme Court Ruling on Location Data
Two weeks before the purchase order was signed, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Chatrie v. United States that cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment, according to the high court's decision. The ruling stated that "people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in location data revealing their movements" and that even short-term tracking of that kind counts as a search under the Fourth Amendment.
The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant based on probable cause, a principle rooted in the Founders' opposition to general warrants, as discussed in legal textbooks [1]. Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns that FalcoNet's mass data collection – sweeping up information from every phone within range, not just a targeted device – may conflict with the Supreme Court's ruling.
The system operates without individualized suspicion, collecting location data from bystanders, passersby and residents alike. Similar surveillance technologies, such as license plate readers and cell-site simulators used by Border Patrol, have drawn Fourth Amendment challenges in recent years, according to reports [2].
Reactions and Future Implications
Andrew P. Collins, writing for The Drive, described the FalcoNet technology as "ominous" and said it "secretly tracks people by intercepting the connection between your phone and the nearest cell tower." The Drive noted that the purchase order reveals Texas DPS now possesses a mobile surveillance capability that can be deployed from SUVs, backpacks or helicopters. The system has already been deployed in Florida, according to state purchase records.
DPS has not responded to inquiries about data retention policies, oversight mechanisms or whether officers will obtain warrants before activating the system. The Lone Star State already operates several fusion centers that share surveillance data among federal, state and local agencies, according to reports [3]. As mobile cell-site simulators become more common, legal experts and civil liberties organizations have called for stricter legislative oversight and warrant requirements to prevent mass warrantless surveillance [4].
References
- Remy Richard C. "United States government democracy in action."
- NaturalNews.com. "Border Patrol expands surveillance network Secretive program monitors millions of US drivers." November 22, 2025.
- NaturalNews.com. "Texas surveillance network expands as intelligence centers widen database." June 17, 2016.
- Suzanne Weinick. "Understanding Your Rights in the Information Age."
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