The New York Police Department (NYPD) has backed away from a plan to enter into a sole-source agreement with the Israeli defense technology company Cognyte to acquire an advanced system for locating and identifying cell phones.
The decision was made following protest from civil rights organizations and progressive politicians who warned of harm to residents' privacy and awarding a contract to an Israeli company linked to claims regarding the use of surveillance technologies against regime opponents.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed that the planned contract does not meet the necessary conditions for a sole-source purchase, and therefore the police department will move to a competitive procurement process. However, this is not a disqualification of the Israeli company or a total cancellation of the possibility to purchase its products: Cognyte will be able to submit a bid and compete against other vendors.
This was a contract planned for three years, with a scope of up to about $750,000. According to official procurement documents published by the New York City government in December 2025 and October 2026, the police sought to acquire the FalcoNet system from Cognyte, along with equipment, software, training, and technical support, for its Technical Assistance Response Unit. In its original justification for the sole-source process, the police stated that to its understanding, the required products and services are provided exclusively by Cognyte.
Cognyte, headquartered in Herzliya, is a defense and intelligence technology company specializing in the development of investigative analytics and intelligence solutions for law enforcement authorities, intelligence agencies, and security organizations around the world. Its products integrate capabilities for processing and analyzing large amounts of data, including tactical signals intelligence (SIGINT) solutions.
The system the NYPD sought to acquire, FalcoNet, is a mobile system for locating and identifying cellular devices, operating by simulating a cellular network base station. The technology enables the identification of devices in its vicinity and assists in determining their location by analyzing cellular signals. The system can be installed in vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, or operated using portable equipment, including a backpack. Cognyte integrates artificial intelligence technologies into its intelligence solutions, though no technical details have been published verifying which AI capabilities were included in the specific system intended for the police.
Civil rights groups warn of surveillance risks
The deal sparked opposition among civil rights organizations and New York City Council members, including figures identified with the political camp of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Opponents argued that the technology could allow surveillance of citizens not suspected of an offense and sought to prevent an expansion of police surveillance capabilities.
The New York civil liberties organization Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, known by the acronym S.T.O.P., issued an official statement of condemnation against the plan on Monday. Corinne Worthington, who is responsible for public policy and community relations at the organization, warned that technologies simulating cell towers could be used to monitor protesters and infringe upon freedom of speech. The organization called on lawmakers in New York State to pass a law banning police use of such systems.
In the background of the protest is also a controversial history of selling surveillance technologies to foreign regimes. In December 2022, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund announced the exclusion of Cognyte from its investment portfolio due to what it defined as an unacceptable risk that the company contributes to severe human rights violations. The decision was based on a recommendation from the fund’s Council on Ethics. However, this decision in itself is not evidence of unlawful use of the system proposed to the NYPD.
For its part, the NYPD claims that systems simulating cell base stations are an investigative tool used, among other things, to locate suspects, missing persons, and individuals in life-threatening situations. According to its official policy, the use of these systems for criminal investigation purposes generally requires a judicial warrant, subject to exceptions established by law and procedure. The police clarify that the systems in use are not intended to collect the content of calls and text messages.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the NYPD will ultimately acquire the FalcoNet system. What has already changed is the procurement path: The Israeli company, which was slated to receive the contract without competition, will now be required to compete against other vendors.
No response has yet been received from the company.