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Last week news outlets reported that one lawmaker in Georgia wants to make it illegal for people to use hidden GPS devices and some private investigators are concerned.

Right now it is perfectly legal to track a person using a GPS device that is placed on a car, even if it is placed in such a way that it is not visible. You can put a hidden GPS device on a car, provided that you install this GPS device in a public place.

The proposal in Georgia would make it illegal to place a GPS tracking device on a person’s car without that person’s consent, whether the device was installed in private or public. This law, if it passed, would effect private citizens and would in on way keep the police from using GPS tracking devices. The lawmaker who is proposing this legislation was at one time a prosecutor, so he is familiar with the workings of law enforcement.

Private investigators think that this may affect their work. One private investigator said that not being able to use GPS tracking devices could possibly put members of his profession in danger. Now, they can monitor activity from a computer. Should it turn out that private investigators cannot used GPS tracking devices, investigative tracking would have to do more in-person surveillance.

Can you imagine what would happen if you learned that one of the most crucial tools for your job was going to be taken away? Yes, the old gumshoes used to tail and track people without technology, but that does not mean they would not have welcomed some technological assistance. Plus, this is a new era. Investigators have no tools and so do criminals. If an investigator can avoid having to chase after someone, it is probably in their best interest to do so.

GPS tracking devices help the police and private investigators make informed decisions and get the solid evidence they need to close their cases. They can receive up to the minute alerts via e-mail, cell phone or through web-based monitoring. Getting instant notification of when a subject is within a certain proximity to a predetermined location can make a big a difference when it comes to closing a case because timing is everything.

GPS tracking devices like Rocky Mountain Tracking’s PT-200 have become one of the most effective tools commonly used among law enforcement and private investigators.