As of February 2015, the city of Chicago owes over $120,000 to its lawyers in the city’s attempt to defend itself against two stingray-related lawsuits. The discovery comes from new public records Ars has obtained

Last year, a local activist named Freddy Martinez made a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), asking the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to provide "any records pertaining to the purchase or reception of any IMSI catchers, commonly known as Stingrays (a trademark of Harris Corporation)." When the agency was not forthcoming, he eventually filed a lawsuit.

Later, he filed a second lawsuit asking for:

All court orders for any instances in which Chicago Police deployed IMSI Catchers

All formal or informal policies, procedures, orders, directives, or other such records that pertain to when, why, where, how, and by whom IMSI Catchers may be deployed

All records discussing the constitutionality of deploying IMSI Catchers

Both cases are still pending.

"I think it's an outrage spending this amount of money defending against records they produced anyways (after we filed the suit)," Martinez told Ars by e-mail. "The City of Chicago claims to have very little money for schools, mental health clinics, and other social services but they always seem to find money for policing. It seems only social services can be considered ‘waste.’"

The 40 pages of records provide a detailed account of what Drinker Biddle & Reath, the law firm Chicago has retained, is actually billing for. Many of the billable hours between mid-June 2014 and the end of the calendar year include phone calls with FBI lawyers and special agents—consistent with the FBI’s active role in its attempt to obscure details of how stingrays are used.

Earlier this year, Ars reported how the FBI has distributed a pre-written press release to law enforcement agencies and how the FBI has been attempting to block release of stingray-related information.

Silence is deafening

Stingrays can determine a specific phone’s location, but they also have the ability to intercept calls and text messages. And during the act of locating a phone, stingrays can sweep up information about nearby phones as well. Earlier this year, Ars reported on how the FBI is actively trying to "prevent disclosure" of stingray use in local jurisdictions across America.

Relatively little remains known about how stingrays are used by law enforcement agencies nationwide, although documents have surfaced. The public has learned how these devices have been purchased and used in some limited instances. In 2013, Ars reported on leaked documents showing the existence of a body-worn stingray. Back in 2010, Kristin Paget famously demonstrated a homemade device built for just $1,500.

While two US senators revealed the FBI’s position that the agency could use stingrays in public places without a warrant, other authorities have kept quiet on the subject. Cops have continually lied to courts about the use of such technology. And the largest manufacturer of the devices, the Harris Corporation, has been tight-lipped about its hardware capabilities.

The Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment.