NYPD to Collaborate with Israeli Firm for Online Threat Monitoring

The New York Police Department is set to team up with an Israeli company to monitor the deep web for terrorist activities related to the creation of explosives and chemical weapons, as indicated by recent official announcements.

A public comment notification indicates that the two-year contract, valued at $567,000, will be awarded to Terrogence Global, based in Tel Aviv. This agreement includes access to the “Explosive Tradecraft Intelligence Report Service,” which examines online discussions in various languages. This comment period is a standard step before finalizing the contract.

Sources from the police have noted that the company offers tools to investigate online exchanges regarding improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bombs, and chemical weaponry.

On its website, Terrogence states that “analysts utilize multiple virtual agents (or avatars) to gather information from the Internet.” They also aim to “provide relevant contexts to actively engage potential threat actors on platforms like social media, instant messaging, and the deep web.”

The contract is expected to start on September 15, with an option for renewal extending until 2033, as mentioned in the notice seeking public input.

This initiative to boost online threat detection comes after a recent incident where at least 11 marked NYPD vehicles were set ablaze in a Brooklyn parking lot. Investigators later found an unexploded device nearby after two masked suspects reportedly fled the scene, according to police sources.

The NYPD has been enhancing its technical capabilities recently. Last year, the department approved a $383,744 contract for a drone tracking system that uses radio frequencies, cameras, and radar to monitor drones based on their identification.