The remaining six cases took place during a time
when the RCMP was operating under the notion that no warrant was required — between March and June 2015.The force made the decision to stop obtaining warrants to use the device after receiving guidance from the National Wiretap Expert Committee (NWEC), which provides legal advice to law enforcement and prosecutors.In June 2015, the RCMP once again began requiring its officers to obtain a warrant before using the device. Therrien's office launched an investigation into the RCMP's use of IMSI catchers in early 2016, after receiving a complaint from OpenMedia, a group that advocates for a surveillance-free internet.The group wanted to know whether the RCMP was using the devices to collect tracking data, monitor large groups of people and intercept voice and text communications. It also wanted clarity around whether a warrant was required to use IMSI catchers, and under what circumstances.
