January 27, 2012
GPS Tracking Program in Santa Fe for Repeat Burglary Cases
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The Problem
Studies have found that burglars tend to go right back to their crimes once released from prison. Almost like an addiction, repeat incarcerations seem to have little effect, and it costs the taxpayer thousands of dollars every year. The fact of the matter is that police often note spikes in burglary type crimes whenever a burglar is released from jail. In an ABC News report, Santa Fe Police Captain Eric Wheeler said that the use of GPS technology is an alternative to re-incarceration that he hopes will prove effective in reducing the number of burglaries.
The Program
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Couler of Santa Fe, the program will focus on those convicted burglars who have long sentences, multiple convictions, or a history of juvenile burglary. District prosecutors and police will work with a defendant’s attorney to determine whether the individual qualifies for the program. In light of the current case before the Supreme Court in regards to GPS tracking and Fourth Amendment rights, the full cooperation of the defendant must be obtained to maintain the Constitutionality of the program. The individual must waive his right to privacy since the police will have unrestricted access to the data collected from the GPS-enabled tracking device put on the defendant’s person. Those enrolled in the program must also agree to obtain a job in order to be a contributing member of society.
The Procedure
The tracking devices have both passive and real-time tracking capabilities. Those enrolled in the program will be monitored only passively unless there is a rash of burglaries in the area where the defendant lives or if the crimes seem to reflect a particular individual’s modus operandi. In that case, police will contact the GPS tracking company to obtain the real-time data that can either place the individual at the scene of the crime or clear him of wrongdoing.
Since longer jail times and repeat incarcerations do not seem to be effective, authorities in Santa Fe hope that GPS technology and the knowledge that someone is watching will be enough to deter these otherwise harmless criminals from committing more burglaries.
GPS Help for Alzheimer’s Patients
GTX Corp recently delivered its first shipment of these advanced tracking shoes to Aetrex, a shoe company that first came up with the idea of shoes imbedded with a tracking device after Elizabeth Smart went missing from her home in 2002. Originally designed to help missing children, many have seen the shoe’s potential in helping those suffering from Alzheimer’s dementia, a disease characterized by a tendency to wander and a desire to return to a childhood home.
Approximately 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and the worldwide cost for caring for dementia patients is $604 billion. These are overwhelming statistics that can burden the caregivers trying to protect and nurture their loved ones. Certified by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), the GPS tracking system used in these shoes may help bring peace of mind to those caring for someone with dementia; more importantly, the shoes can help authorities locate a wanderer more quickly. Studies have shown that almost half of critical wanderers not found within 24 hours die.
In light of the alarming statistics and their anticipated growth rate with the aging population, $300 a pair seems a small price to pay for the safety of these patients who, through no fault of their own, are no longer able to care for themselves. The buyer is able to put the system in the heel of any pair of shoes and then set up the monitoring perimeters and an alert system so that when the wearer leaves a designated area, the caregiver is immediately notified and able to locate the person in a timely fashion. The shoes are probably most crucial to those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, those who still live at home somewhat independently but are beginning to wander or get lost on routine errands; however, even those living in a long-term care facility are known to wander and escape.
The benefits of Aetrex’s GPS enabled shoes for Alzheimer’s patients are clearly seen, and the potential for recovering missing children cannot be underestimated. Some even advocate the use of such technology for prostitutes. In this day and age, it would be hard to comprehend anyone who could not benefit from the technology of GPS tracking.
The Battle Continues Between LightSquared and the GPS Industry
In the continuing war between the GPS industry, attempting to sell GPS tracking devices, and LightSquared, trying to make the task of building a 4G LTE network a little easier, a special committee has decided they see “no practical solutions or mitigations” that will keep both parties happy.
LightSquared is attempting to save the cost of building a network from scratch, asking the FCC to use part of the spectrum that is currently designated for satellite communications, and just outside of the spectrum granted to GPS devices of all kinds. It will save LightSquared a boatload of money when all is said and done, but the GPS industry is up in arms as numerous tests have determined implementing the network will cause interference with GPS tracking devices. The different devices, in order to work, search not only their own designated spectrum, but nearby spectrums as well. LightSquared says this is the fault of GPS device manufacturers, designing systems which pinpoint GPS coordinates in an inefficient manner.
The National Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Committee reviewed the case and decided there is really no way to make this work. In testing conducted in December 2011, it was discovered the proposed 4G LTE network caused 75 percent of GPS tracking devices to fail due to interference. After testing, a report was released stating “LightSquared signals caused harmful interference to majority of GPS receivers tested. No additional testing is required to confirm harmful interference exists.”
To counter this, LightSquared offered up numerous solutions, including lowering the strength of their signal in the hopes the GPS devices won’t pick up on it as easily and an add-on filter provided by Javad GNSS. This filter is designed to put an end to the interference problems caused by LightSquared’s network, but comes with a slight problem: the device must have the filter retrofitted first. LightSquared is claiming the simple, inexpensive filter will not cause the costs of GPS units to rise, but what about the devices already out there in consumers’ hands? Won’t it be a hassle, having to install this filter to their device? Will they have to buy new devices altogether?
The committee’s report has been handed to the FCC who is tasked with deciding whether or not to grant LightSquared permission to build their network. With the release of this report things don’t look good, but only time will tell. We’ll be sure to keep you informed here at RMT as decisions are made and reports are released pertaining to this case.
GPS Involved In Leopard Killing Controversy
This was the method in use during a program to study a population of about 500 extremely rare, critically endangered leopards in South Africa. About 23 of the leopards now wear GPS trackers, and there are also infrared cameras hidden in their habitat to provide even more detailed information on their activity. The program, led by a conservation group called the Landmark Foundation, gets assistance from a government organization, CapeNature. Under normal circumstances, the partnership works well.
In September 2011, however, an official with CapeNature ordered that one of the tracker-fitted leopards be shot after it killed two calves belonging to a local farmer. Judging that the predator’s presence in the area posed an unacceptable threat to local cattle farmers, the official gave the order and the leopard was killed.
Conflict between farmers and endangered predators is not a new or local problem. Further north on the African continent, lions and humans are in constant tension in many areas, struggling to balance habitat preservation with the safety of both farm animals and humans. In some cases, a single problem animal can be transferred to another area, but a South African leopard expert says that relocation does not usually work with leopards.
Obviously, this situation has created a rift between the Landmark Foundation and CapeNature. The Landmark Foundation is indignant over what it labels an illegal killing of an extremely rare animal, while CapeNature insists the killing was the only possible solution to the problem. This disagreement places the entire study in danger, as cooperation between the two groups is necessary for success. It appears that there may be additional problems with communication, as the Landmark Foundation says that it would have been willing to pay for protection for the farmer’s cattle in the form of an electric fence and even guard animals. They say the leopard was so valuable to the species’ recovery that any expense would have been acceptable in order to keep it alive.
Lockheed Announces Two New GPS III Satellites
Lockheed Martin has announced they have begun building two GPS III satellites; the third and fourth satellites out of the 10 promised by the company in a contract with the US Air Force, who hopes to build a total of 32 GPS III satellites. These satellites will bring Lockheed Martin $238 million.
The contract was designed to expand the GPS system in order to keep up with technological changes and advances, and promises users greater accuracy and anti-jamming features. A second civilian-use signal will be added which will greatly improve the speed with which a GPS device locks on to a position. A new military signal will also be introduced, helping these lines remain secure and offering reliability against jamming.
According to Col. Bernie Gruber, director of the US Air Force’s Global Positioning Systems Directorate, “GPS is a global gold standard, providing accurate, reliable, continuous, free worldwide positioning, navigation, and timing services…and we are focused on delivering world-class space-based PNT capabilities to our users around the world. As the need for more capability increases, GPS III will allow us to affordably sustain and modernize the constellation by providing increased capabilities incrementally to better meet current and future needs.”
Mark Valerio, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Surveillance and Navigation Systems said, “The government has mapped an extremely sensible acquisition strategy for GPS III and we are focusing on executing the program to deliver these much needed capabilities to billions of users around the world. As we produce more GPS III satellites, we aim to continually reduce the cost and cycle time of each space vehicle to ensure we deliver the greatest value to the Air Force.” They have proven themselves to be perfect for the task with current satellites already in the constellation. The existing GPS IIR and IIR-M models have a 99.9 percent reliability record after over 18 years in orbit.
The two new GPS III satellites are being built in concert with one another to make the manufacturing process more efficient, according to Lockheed. The system is set for first launch in 2014.
GPS Used To Count Pheasants
Pheasants are one of the most popular game birds in the country, and traditionally officers have counted them by listening for the calls of male birds. They have continued that method this year, and have used their findings to determine that the pheasant population is remaining stable as compared with past years’ counts. However, a newer counting procedure has the Fish & Game department hoping to gain a more accurate and geographically definite picture of the pheasant population.
Hunting dogs naturally have a fantastic ability to seek out roosting birds, and can be trained to flush them out. While this ability is usually harnessed to help hunters, Fish & Game officers are using it to help them count birds. By fitting the collars of dogs with GPS tracking devices and then releasing them into specific wooded areas, they can pinpoint the exact location of the birds that the dogs flush out. This method makes it easy for officers to quickly gain an accurate count and also get a better understanding of what types of habitat the pheasants prefer.
While the GPS-equipped dog system is a great counting method, it does not appear that the Fish & Game administration intends to replace their previous method of gauging population levels by listening for calling cock pheasants. Rather, they will compare the results of the two different counts to determine how they can use the calling pheasant counts to accurately predict the total number of pheasants. Using dogs to disrupt pheasants is a far more invasive method than simply listening to birds without interacting with them, so it may not be a favorable long term solution. However, it does give officers an opportunity to compare their counts against the “real” number of birds in an area.
It is important to note that while GPS technology is very helpful in establishing the populations of game birds, using it while actually hunting is illegal in most cases. The sport of hunting puts a high priority on the “fair chase,” and using GPS tracking to locate animals or notify other hunters of animals’ locations is considered unfair.
GPS in Taxi Helps Australian Rape Victim’s Case
It is any woman’s worst nightmare. After a night of heavy drinking, a 24 year old woman jumped into a taxi and consequently passed out in the backseat. What she claims happened next is currently being debated in front of a jury, who must decide if the two men involved are guilty of the charges against them: sexual penetration without consent. This is indeed no easy task due to her incoherent condition, but the GPS tracking device installed inside the taxis taken by both men should make things much easier.
Prosecutor Janelle Scutt laid out the gory details in her opening statement. The victim was denied access to the Hip-E nightclub, and decided that maybe it was time to head home. As such, she hailed the cab of Amrit Pal Singh, 31. She passed out, and he called another cab driver, Prabhjit Singh Gill, 36, to meet him in a parking lot off of the Kwinana Freeway. Gill obliged, and the two men proceeded to rape the victim. Singh faces one charge of sexual penetration without consent, while Gill faces two for allegedly grabbing her head and penetrating her mouth as well.
The two men deny the charges, but the fact that the Swan Taxi Company equips their vehicles with GPS tracking devices makes it quite difficult to believe them. Upon reviewing the information gathered by the GPS tracking devices on both taxis, it was determined the two men met up at the park around the time the victim was picked up, and more importantly, they remained there for 30 to 45 minutes.
As if the GPS location information isn’t incriminating enough, DNA swabs taken the day following the alleged rape are confirmed to match Singh’s DNA.
Of course, with all of the evidence stacked against the men, they will likely jump to the “she gave consent” he-said-she-said defense. Scutt addressed this in her opening arguments: “It was without her consent. She couldn’t provide consent…at the time she (the victim) was at best in a state of semi consciousness.” In other words, she may not have said no, but she definitely did not say yes.
The trial is slated to go on for at least five days.
Debating Priorities: Space Exploration vs. Food Programs
Although the writer implies that the funding for the Mars project ($2.5 billion) would not go very far in providing food for hungry children, it can hardly be argued that this staggering amount would not be a significant contribution. Existing government programs as well as new efforts like job creation, helping poor families grow their own food, and tax breaks, could benefit greatly from such a budget increase.
Lawmakers have more factors to consider, however. While the limit of most people’s exposure to the space program is viewing beautiful photographs of planets and galaxies, our space shuttles, probes, and satellites have brought improvements to our life that we would be sorry to do without. Cell phone service, national defense, and long distance video communication are just a few of the things that are made better by the space program.
GPS tracking technology is perhaps one of the most multi-faceted benefits to date gained by exploring space. New satellites recently launched are intended to increase the standard accuracy of GPS tracking devices from a ten-foot range to a three-foot range, making personal, commercial, and governmental products more useful than ever. Nearly every field of life has gained from GPS tracking technology, from everyday devices like auto navigation systems to anklets used to keep tabs on convicts under house arrest.
Balancing the budget is a difficult task, usually rewarded by anger from all sides. When it comes to space exploration, we can be thankful that our national government places a priority on looking beyond our own planet. And who knows—maybe someday space exploration will lead to improvements in feeding our hungry children after all.
Big Brother and GPS Tracking
In the Name of Justice
The case before the Supreme Court concerns whether police should be required to obtain a warrant before tracking an individual. It might be tempting to say no since the police are serving the greater good of the community, but where does investigating end and prying start? Most people think in terms of navigational help when it comes to GPS, but GPS units used by the police are more of a two-way communication device. These GPS tracking devices interact with cellular data networks to keep a constant vigil on a suspect’s vehicle. It seems to fall more in the category of wiretapping, which does require a warrant, than a simple stake-out.
For You or Against You
Government is not the only one watching. Electronic devices of just about every kind have the ability to track a person’s location, browsing history, and apps. Makers of these devices not only keep record of this information, they sell it to other companies in an attempt to build their business. Companies like SmartPhone, Google, Facebook, and Verizon Wireless all sell information they gather from their customers to outside companies looking for a new pool of clients to draw from. Even the innocent collecting of traffic data by a GPS navigation company for the purpose of helping its users can be used by police to setup speed traps. Medical records and financial information can be released, children can be tracked, and employment can be terminated based on false information.
In a country where right to privacy is everything, why do Americans allow such scrutiny of their movements, purchases, and searches? Is it the free apps, ready access to information, easy to use navigational tools? How big are we willing to let Big Brother get? GPS tracking technology is very useful, but the buyer must beware and realize what he is sacrificing in the name of technology.
High Tech Police Dogs
The Dog
Bane’s disappearance represented not only an emotional loss to the handlers, but also the loss of a huge investment for the Michigan State Police; a $35,000 investment to be precise. An untrained police dog can cost between $6,000 and $8,000 dollars. Add in the multiple man hours needed to train these highly specialized animals and you have a valuable piece of police property that is not easily or quickly replaced.
The Collar
After Bane disappeared, the organization Friends of Canines and the Riverview Firefighter’s Union donated $5,000 to the Michigan State Police for the specific purpose of purchasing GPS tracking collars for the canine unit; the money was enough to outfit all 32 dogs in the canine unit with the special collars. Police hope to protect their investment through this technology by being able to recover lost or injured animals. The collars will also help investigators get to victims sooner by pinpointing exact locations. One company says that its collar can track dogs as far away as 7.48 miles, depending on the surrounding terrain. In turn, rescue workers can better plot escape routes out of dense forests or mountainous regions based on the data received from the GPS tracking collars.
Considering the time and money invested in a police dog, it only makes sense to outfit the animal with a device that can track its movements and location. The cost of a GPS tracking collar is but a fraction of the total cost of a canine unit dog. Beyond the value of the dog is the value of a missing person who may be better served by well-trained, well-tracked police dogs.
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