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Note: This blog post originally appeared on the National ACLU Blog of Rights. That post can be found here. By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project It appears that at least one police department in Florida has failed to tell judges about its use of a cell phone tracking device because the department got the device on loan and promised the manufacturer to keep it all under wraps. But when police use invasive surveillance equipment to surreptitiously sweep up information about the locations and communications of large numbers of people, court oversight and public debate are essential. The devices, likely made by the Florida-based Harris Corporation, are called “stingrays,” and unfortunately this is not the first time the government has tried to hide their use.

Our country is now having a much-needed conversation about racial profiling, constitutional policing, and how to hold officers accountable for the violation of rights, all stemming from a number of recent high-profile cases where law enforcement used excessive force that resulted in the death of a suspect. These systemic problems seem overwhelming, but one concrete and important step should be implemented as soon as possible: body worn cameras for officers.

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