The Fredericton Police Force is buying a tool that would allow officers to get around cellphone passwords to access the data contained in them.  

Councillors  voted Monday to let the force spend $31,000 on Graykey, but before officers can use the technology to gain access to a locked phone, they'd first need to obtain a warrant from a judge, said Coun. Steve Hicks, chair of the city's public safety committee.

"They [would] just not randomly go up to anyone and take their cellphone," Hicks said in an interview after the meeting.

"It would it would be through an investigation and they'd have to have probable cause to get that cellphone and be able to go through the information."

Fredericton Coun. Steven Hicks, chair of the public safety committee, says he has no privacy concerns with the use of the technology by police. (Aidan Cox/CBC)

Magnetic Forensics, the company that makes Graykey, describes itself on its website as "a global leader in digital investigations," with offices in Waterloo, Ont., Ottawa, the United States and Singapore.

The company claims "Graykey unlocks actionable intelligence so you can solve cases faster, reduce crime within your community, and maximize your mobile forensics investment.

"Access is the cornerstone of digital forensics. Use Graykey to consistently unlock leading iOS and Android devices to help you get the evidence you need."

Little information presented publicly

Council voted on the request to purchase the tool after a closed-door council-in-committee meeting, where it was discussed.

During the regular public meeting, the request was one of 11 items included in a consent agenda that was voted on with no discussion by councillors.

The city's online agenda package did not include any details about the new tool, including the cost, other than to say it will allow the police force "to gather important evidence in a timely and efficient manner greatly improving the overall quality of the investigation."

Speaking after Monday's meeting, police Chief Martin Gaudet said the tool was necessary, as cellphones have become crucial pieces in police investigations.

"In many ways, cellphones have replaced the filing cabinets and photo albums of criminals and provide a wealth of information on the activities of users," Gaudet said.

"So police are using cellphones more and more as evidence in investigations, so this tool will assist officers in acquiring, reviewing, and analyzing video evidence. This will make significant evidence available to us."

Police Chief Martin Gaudet says the Fredericton force needs the new tool because cellphones have become crucial in the gathering of evidence during investigations. (Sam Farley/CBC News)

In a city administrative report shared with councillors and with CBC News, city staff told council that while old cellphones had no such thing as a "lock," today's cellphones are "virtually uncrackable," making access to the device in a timely fashion a formidable challenge for police.

As it stands, Fredericton police have to go to the RCMP to gain access to locked cellphones, a process that can take up to 18 months, the report says.

"This often results in lost or unusable evidence that could have been used on the file," says the staff report.

"Having the Magnet Forensics Grey Key system will allow FPF officers to gather important evidence in a timely and efficient manner, greatly improving the overall quality of investigations."

Hicks said he's pleased the police force is acquiring the technology, adding he has no privacy concerns when it comes to its use.

"No one wants to go about just getting personal information on people," he said.

"[Police] want to make sure people are safe, and if this is one of the means they can utilize to make that happen, that's a good thing."

Controversial blogger Charles LeBlanc says the Fredericton police raided his home on Thursday morning, arrested him and charged him with libel.

LeBlanc posted a video on his blog that said eight officers showed up at his Westmorland Street apartment at about 10 a.m. on Thursday.

He said officers seized his computer equipment and have charged him with libel.

LeBlanc said the charges stem from comments he posted last summer about a city police officer.

"I said, 'Couldn't you just take the defamation from my blog and just print it out,'" LeBlanc said. "But they took everything, right there. But my God, I said, 'now I'm at home, I got nothing. I guess the blogging is all over.'"

Fredericton blogger Charles LeBlanc says the police raided his apartment on Thursday. (Jacques Poitras/CBC) (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

Fredericton police Const. Rick Mooney said officers searched an apartment on Westmorland Street on Thursday and arrested an adult male in connection with an investigation into defamatory libel, which is a Criminal Code offence under Section 301.

LeBlanc has not been charged. He's scheduled to make a first court appearance on the matter April 20.

LeBlanc writes a blog on politics and social justice issues. He routinely criticizes politicians, the police and government officials on his blog.

LeBlanc pleaded guilty on Jan. 16 to disturbing the peace in connection with a bullhorn protest last summer outside the city police station. The blogger had received warnings from the Fredericton police that people were complaining about his use of a bullhorn.

The blogger had been protesting the ticket he received for riding his bike on the sidewalk in Fredericton.

He's scheduled to be back in court next month to contest two infractions of the city's bicycle bylaws.

LeBlanc is no stranger to controversy. No one has ever been given the full details of why LeBlanc was barred from the grounds of the legislature, including the lawn in front of the building, in 2006.

Legislature officials say it was to ensure employees could work in a secure environment free of harassment.

He was also arrested during a 2006 protest at a business conference in Saint John.

LeBlanc was later acquitted of an obstruction charged related to his arrest at the Atlantica conference.