How Texas Law Enforcement Invested $4.5 Million in Four Chevrolet Tahoes

      Andrew P. Collins

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      Sinister Israeli surveillance technology is now being utilized on American highways. FalcoNet, developed by a firm called Cognyte (a competitor to Israel's Palantir), covertly tracks individuals by intercepting the link between your phone and the nearest cell tower. The concept is to attach this device to a helicopter, backpack, or Chevy Tahoe and gather everyone’s data while on the move. It's already operational in Florida. This year, the Texas State Police acquired a fleet of FalcoNet-equipped SUVs for nearly $4.5 million. I located the purchase receipt and the FalcoNet user manual to gain more insights.

      In March 2026, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division requested permission to allocate $4,487,500 for a Cognyte surveillance system. They actually sought “approval for an emergency purchase necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of state personnel and property. Delays in procurement could lead to unacceptable risks to personnel safety and disrupt operational readiness.”

      The request memo is filled with urgency and dramatic phrasing—loaded with words like “emergency” and “immediate.” However, it lacks specific details. “Any delay in procurement could undermine employee safety, public safety, operational readiness, and overall mission success,” the memo states, but does not explain how or why this brand-new, costly technology has suddenly become critical.

      Of course, it wasn’t merely $4.5 million for four 2026 Chevy Tahoes, although the SUVs themselves were still unusually pricey at $150,000 each. Here’s the breakdown of the purchase order:

      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

      Flexible antenna kit: $27,000

      Cognyte PA Ranger: $105,000

      Unlicensed FalcoNet Backpack core V2 – 6 x BTS (2G/3G/4G/5G): $70,000

      Total Purchase Order Amount: $4,487,500

      So, that's the rationale behind Texas police spending $4.5 million on four Tahoes, which are outfitted with extremely expensive surveillance equipment.

      Regarding the FalcoNet system itself, the primary concern that people are rightfully alarmed about is its ability to secretly collect private data from unsuspecting individuals en masse. While I don’t believe I have anything to hide, I am still vehemently opposed to this. Just recently, one of our own staff members was wrongly detained due to this corporate-controlled police technology!

      As noted by Cybernews, the legality of such surveillance remains questionable. In fact, the Supreme Court ruled (Chatrie v. United States) that “people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in location data revealing their movements, and that even short-term tracking of that kind qualifies as a search under the Fourth Amendment.”

      We will continue to scrutinize the rapidly changing landscape of corporate surveillance that surrounds us, as it significantly impacts infrastructure and road travel (driving) in a major way.

      FalcoNet hardware by Cognyte

      Additionally, we can explore the details of this technology, as I've obtained the FalcoNet user manual and thought you might be interested in its workings. GM provides a standard police setup for the Tahoe: Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles are equipped with a V8 engine, large brakes, a sturdy suspension, a secondary battery, and a 250-amp alternator.

      The FalcoNet system itself is specified as follows:

      Dimensions & Form Factor: The core module measures 563mm x 200mm x 86mm (designed as a 2U half 19” rack drawer) and weighs 8kg.

      Hardware Interface: The module includes RJ45 LAN ports, a 4-way Amphenol Power connector, SMA panel connectors for GPS and clock synchronization, and QN-Type connectors for RF input and antenna output.

      Power: It requires a DC power input of 24v to 36v, consuming about 35 watts while idle and 260 watts during full power transmission.

      Kits: Government purchase records (including one from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement) indicate that the system is modular and sold in "Deployment Kits" packaged in SKB Pelican cases, containing the core Software Defined Radio (SDR) base stations, power distribution units, and directional antenna kits.

      From the exterior, I suspect these Tahoes will appear quite standard