Police in Pierce County, Wash., will now have to explicitly explain when and how they plan to use "stingray" technology when monitoring a suspect's cellphone.
Generally, detectives will ask judges to sign “pen register, trap and trace” orders to allow them to gather information about a suspect's cellphone use and location. However, now, Pierce County law enforcement will have to specifically say they plan to use stingray devices in their investigations, according to The News Tribune.
Law enforcement agencies will also have to swear in the affidavit that they will not store data collected from people who aren't the target of the investigation. Pierce County's 22 Superior Court judges signed off on the new requirement.
In August, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a task force to investigate the technology and how cyber criminals could use them illegally against Americans.
