Jüdische AllgemeineSecurity11:50

NYPD Scraps Direct Contract for Israeli Surveillance Tech Amid Protests

By Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland K.d.ö.R.

Translated & summarized from Jüdische Allgemeine by baba

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The New York Police Department has canceled a direct $750,000 contract for an Israeli mobile phone tracking system from Cognyte. The decision follows protests from progressive politicians and activists linked to Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The NYPD will now use a competitive bidding process, allowing Cognyte and other companies to apply. The move highlights political tensions for Mayor Mamdani, who has previously criticized security cooperation with Israel.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

NYPD cancels $750,000 direct contract for Israeli surveillance tech from Cognyte.
The department will now use an open, competitive bidding process for the system.
Protests from progressive politicians and activists influenced the NYPD's decision.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces political challenges balancing his stances with city operations.
Police Chief Jessica Tisch remains despite calls for her resignation over Israel stance.

NYPD Scraps Direct Contract for Israeli Surveillance Tech Amid Protests — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has canceled plans to award a $750,000 contract for an Israeli mobile phone tracking system without a competitive bidding process. The department will now seek bids through an open and competitive tender, according to a Ynet report. This decision follows protests from progressive politicians and activists associated with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The NYPD stated that the procurement process did not meet the requirements for a sole-source contract, necessitating a shift to a competitive procedure. The Israeli company Cognyte, originally slated to receive the contract, can participate in the new bidding process, as can other companies. The final award remains undecided.

The situation is politically sensitive for Mayor Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Party's progressive wing. He has previously expressed criticism of police surveillance technologies and security cooperation between New York and Israel, even linking NYPD officers' boots to the IDF. Despite these past statements, his administration has not ended the existing cooperation, which includes an NYPD representative stationed with the Israeli police and ongoing work with Israeli security firms. This controversy highlights the challenges Mamdani faces in aligning his political stances with the city's established operational structures.

Police Chief Jessica Tisch, who identifies as a "proud Zionist," remains in her position at Mamdani's request, despite calls for her dismissal from some of his anti-Israel supporters. These activists have demanded her resignation due to her stance on Israel and her family's connections to Jewish donors. The article notes that Tisch was targeted in early October by left-wing activists demanding her resignation over her views on Israel and her family's ties to Jewish supporters of Israel.