Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

Penalties for Tampering with GPS Tracking Devices

June 18th, 2013

GPS tracking devices have been used for some time to monitor sex offenders after their release from prison. Due to recent legislation changes in California, there has been an increased incidence of parolees tampering with their GPS tracking devices. As a result, a law has been proposed that would classify disabling these units as a felony.

The Requirement

Since 2006, sex offenders in California have been required to wear GPS tracking bracelets after their release from prison. This is due to a piece of legislation known as Jessica’s Law. A portion of these parolees attempt to break their parole by disabling or removing their tracking device. This offense is punishable by a six-month prison sentence.

The Problem

Because of overcrowding in the state prison system, a prison realignment law was recently passed. Under this legislation, low-level offenders will serve their prison sentences in county jails rather than state prisons. Low-level offenders are those convicted of a non-sexual or non-violent crime. Since tampering with a GPS device falls into this category, offenders that are caught will serve their sentence in a county prison. County prisons have themselves become overcrowded since this new process was put in place; therefore many individuals are released early and are not required to serve the entire six months. As a result, the number of paroled sex offenders disabling their GPS monitoring device is on the rise. Some reports indicate that there may be as much as a 28 percent increase over the period prior to the prison realignment law.

A Potential Solution

In an attempt to address this problem, California State Senator Ted Lieu has introduced a new piece of legislation. Under his bill, referred to as SB57, disabling or removing a GPS tracking device would be classified as a felony and would result in a prison sentence of up to three years. There is some opposition to the bill due to fears that it will only worsen the overcrowding of the prison system. Proponents of the legislation, however, argue that the protection of the public from unmonitored sex offenders is worth solving the problems in the prison system. If this bill is successfully, passed, it is expected that there will be a definite drop in tampering with GPS tracking devices.

Police Use GPS to Track Vehicle After Theft

June 18th, 2013

It stands to reason that one of the most satisfying things in life must be a job well done. That’s what the police of Carroll County, Kentucky, found out. Thanks to GPS technology, their law enforcement department was able to track down and recover over $35,000 in pilfered goods for the Valley Medical Transportation company in Louisville. A little after 8:00 AM, the company owner notified the Carrollton police after he was able to successfully track one of his stolen vans to Carrollton using GPS (the second van was found by police in Pendleton, Kentucky). Police responded to the dispatch to go to a local gas station where they arrested the thieves and took the stolen items into possession, most of which had been taken from Valley Medical Transportation.

What Do I Do If My GPS Tracked Vehicle Is Stolen?

Before it’s ever taken, having easy access to all your car’s basic information comes in handy: year, make, model, VIN. In the event your vehicle is taken, you will want to contact the police as soon as possible and, once you receive the official police report, your vehicle insurance company. Besides immediate report of the theft, the GPS tracking system installed in your car is your best chance of a quick and successful recovery. You can often track the device from your own mobile phone or computer and can report directly to your GPS technology company that your vehicle was stolen, putting them on alert and following your car’s every current location and velocity. When your vehicle’s real-time location is known, you can report the coordinates to the local police (as in the example above) for highly successful chances of recovery.

How Does a GPS Tracking Device Protect My Vehicle?

Depending on the system company you choose, some tracking devices can be used to manipulate the car from a remote location in the event of theft (for instance, automatic lock-down of doors). Some devices allow you to be notified directly if and when your car alarm was set off or the vehicle has left a predetermined area in the form of email or text alert (some setups allow for automatic contact of the police). With a variety of systems in operation, vehicle owners can usually find the perfect one for them to prevent auto theft.

GPS Tracking of Lawn Equipment

June 15th, 2013

The presence of a GPS device led to the quick resolution of a recent theft of lawn equipment. What could have been an expensive loss for the company was minimized thanks to knowledge of the location of at least some of the missing items.

The Theft

The Yard Sheriff is a lawn care company in Oklahoma. Their advertising slogan indicates that they keep your lawn in order by “busting the bad guys in your yard.” Ironically, one early morning, some real “bad guys” targeted the warehouse where the company stores its lawn equipment. When General Manager Darrin DeShazer arrived for work, he noticed that the lock on the back door had been tampered with and that the garage door was ajar. Further investigation showed that one truck, a 16-foot trailer, a mower, a variety of hand equipment, and several laptops were missing. It appeared that the thieves had removed yard debris from the trailer and then loaded it with the expensive equipment they wanted to steal.

The Chase

Fortunately, the Yard Sheriff had previously installed GPS tracking devices on all of the company’s trucks. DeShazer was able to access his tracking software on his iPad and pinpoint the location of the truck. Armed with this information, police gave chase to the vehicle. When they got close, the thief took the vehicle down a back road, creating a large cloud of dust. Under this cover, he was able to escape, abandoning the truck and the trailer.

The Recovery

Mainly because of the availability of the GPS location data, it took only about two hours for police to find the truck and trailer. Although the laptops are still missing, the majority of the rest of the equipment was recovered safely. The Yard Sheriff company will definitely miss the laptops as they will have to revert to paper scheduling for the time being. However, with their busy season only a week away, the company is glad that the majority of the equipment was recovered. They plan to install a new security system to prevent future such events.

While GPS tracking in company vehicles may not prevent criminal activity, the data collected can certainly help in the resolution of such incidents. One company, at least, is definitely glad they made the decision to invest in this technology.

MA: Cops Slow to Implement GPS in Cruisers

June 11th, 2013

So many different industries rely upon GPS tracking devices for their fleets: trucking companies; construction companies; transportation services; delivery drivers; and law enforcement to name a few. Most business owners who operate a fleet of vehicles knows that the best way to ensure they are saving money while keeping their employees safe and honest is to rely on GPS tracking.

When it comes to emergency response and law enforcement, GPS tracking offers swifter response times and reduced costs. Dispatchers will attest to this. However, in MA, it seems the value of GPS tracking of police cars i yet to be understood.

Trouble Implementing GPS

In Central Massachusetts, Westminster, Holden, Leominster, and Ashburnham are the few out of 20 police departments within the state that use GPS devices in their cruisers. Recently, Lowell officers agreed to the installation of the devices in their vehicles.

When you look at the entire Central MA region, however, you see that there are some cities that have begun to implement the system but are unfinished. For example, Templeton purchased GPS devices, but contract negotiations are holding up the activation process according to Chief David H. Whitaker.

According to Fitchburg Police spokesman Sgt. Glenn Fossa, GPS devices were installed in their cruisers over a year ago, but have not been activated.

In Shrewsbury, police Chief James J. Hester Jr. points out that although they implemented GPS seven years ago, technical difficulties have forced the system offline. Apparently, the company that outfitted his department is no longer in business, so their IT department is looking for an economical replacement.

The Value of GPS

While some officers find GPS devices a way to spy on their actions, most of them will agree that it is a great way to keep officers safe and out of trouble. An example: Westminster Police Chief Salvatore Albert said a civilian accused an officer of speeding after her vehicle, pulling out of a parking lot, crashed into the cruiser. The GPS device was referenced, and it was discovered that officer was actually driving below the speed limit.

There are those departments that use them to keep officers from conducting personal business while in uniform, according to Mr. Donnelly, former prosecutor in the Worcester district attorney’s office. However, police unions have fought against this. They are especially against undercover officers using them, as well as those cops that must take a cruiser home with them.

Said Mr. Donnelly, “The question becomes, with that, is that public record? I might not want my name and address known.”

It remains to be seen if all of Massachusetts will catch on, or if they will dismiss the GPS tracking device as a useful tool to protect their officers’ reputations and their lives as well.

GPS Bracelet For Human Rights Workers: Tweets When Trouble Arises

June 9th, 2013

Being a human rights worker or member of the media in a volatile area can be a dangerous job. You are attempting to expose some form of misconduct against the people of that country by their government or military, but the government or military certainly doesn’t want you there. The free speech enjoyed here in the US is not something enjoyed worldwide. Activists and media are threatened by abduction and violent attacks each and every day.

Just this April, Mahmoud Al-Farjani, a Libyan journalist for Al-Arabiya, was kidnapped by armed militiamen from the network’s office after numerous threats were directed towards him in the days leading up to the kidnapping. He was held for seven hours and beaten, and even received death threats.

Enter The Natalia Project

If Al-Farjani were wearing a GPS tracking device from the group Civil Rights Defenders, the outcome might have been much different. The Civil Rights Defenders was formed in Sweden in 1982, and deploys aid workers worldwide to combat civil rights violations, keep an eye on elections to keep them fair, and more.

The GPS tracking bracelet was named after Natalia Estemirova, human rights worker uncovering abuses of human rights in the Caucaus region of Chechnya. In 2009, she was kidnapped and brutally murdered.

What It Does

If the person wearing the GPS tracking bracelet is in trouble, all they need to do is trigger the device. At that point, GPS location data with their last known location is sent to nearby workers as well as the Civil Rights Defenders office in Sweden. The same occurs if the bracelet is forcibly removed from the wearer.

What’s unique about the bracelet: it is capable of sending out an update to their Facebook friends and Twitter followers regarding the alert via cellular signal. Those who designed the GPS tracking bracelet feel this level of awareness will make kidnappers nervous, possibly leading to the release of the victim.

“The Natalia Project makes it easy for anyone to contribute to the safety of human rights defenders to allow them to carry on their crucial work, either showing strength in numbers, by ‘liking’ or following on social media, or by donating directly to support the ongoing work,” said Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders in a press release.

Only The Beginning

The bracelets were showcased at the Civil Rights Defenders’ annual conference, Defenders’ Days, in Stockholm. 55 human rights workers will be equipped with the bracelets over the next 18 months, but only if they receive enough financial backing from sponsors.

To donate to this cause, visit Natalia Project’s website: http://natalia.civilrightsdefenders.org/

GPS on Buses Trending Globally

June 6th, 2013

With many thanks to recent developments in technology, public transit systems around the world are finding it beneficial and profitable to install GPS tracking devices on their buses.

These devices have a fairly simple purpose, though it manifests itself in multiple facets. After a GPS tracking device is installed upon a bus or other public transit vehicle, the device links up to an online website which keeps updated track of the vehicle. Passengers can then find updates on bus schedules and route changes online. Some of the tracking sites even offer the feature of SMS text updates to be sent to passengers’ mobile phones.

Many countries have begun to implement the GPS tracking systems on their public transit vehicles and most of these have had very positive and profitable results. Schedule changes and route re-workings are not nearly so irritating to passengers who have the available option of going online to check the route and schedule of their bus of choice. Drivers are held more tightly accountable to their duties and responsibilities by monitoring and tracking. The listed benefits are obviously laudable.

Multiple cities in the United States have begun to utilize GPS tracking devices in their public transit systems. Cities in Louisiana, Oklahoma, California, Ohio, and other states have installed these GPS systems and found the results to be quite excellent.

Canada and the United Kingdom have also had good experiences with their first runs of transit GPS tracking devices. With systems being used on buses in Ottawa and London, passengers in both countries have had time to give the system a good trial run. Talks are still ongoing as to whether more transit systems in other cities should have GPS tracking devices installed on their vehicles.

Of all the countries to try this new application of GPS technology, India has felt the benefit from its installation perhaps most acutely. Using the technology not only to give passengers more accurate route updates and arrival and departure times, Indian transit systems have found applications for the technology in monitoring potential thieves and other persons who would harass tourists or regular passengers on their buses. Ensuring the safety of their passengers is top priority.

Whether it be for scheduling accuracy, route updates, driver or unruly pedestrian monitoring, GPS tracking technology may soon be commonplace throughout public transportation, here at home and around the globe.

Broward County, FL: Green Light To Install GPS In School Buses

May 27th, 2013

In the hopes of making their school bus routes more efficient and ultimately saving the county some money, the school district of Broward County, FL has decided to commit over $3 million over the next five years to install GPS tracking devices on over 1,300 of their school buses.

The GPS tracking system will include technology that keeps track of children when they get on and off the bus with student-tracking ID badges. This is to correct many problems that have plagued their transportation department for some time now.

The Problems

The school buses in Broward County have been quite the strain on the budget: compared to other large districts within the state of Florida, Broward County spends more money per mile than any of them. In August of 2012, a variety of problems started the school year on the wrong foot: buses that never came; late buses; and bus passes that never quite made it to certain students on time, meaning they didn’t even know which bus they’d be taking.

All of these issues led to thousands of complaints by parents, and in turn, the resignation of the district’s transportation director. The Superintendent Robert Runcie believes that the GPS tracking system will set things right for 2013′s school year.

“It’s going to give us accuracy, it’s going to give us accountability, and a level of exactness,” he said. “When you call, we’re going to know where the bus is.”

The Plan

School Board members approved the GPS contract, which will have parents locating the bus their child is on using their own computer or smartphone by the end of the school year next year. They are making the functionality of the GPS system a priority, and plan to get to the parent end of the system after everything is working properly.

The system, combined with the student tracking ID cards, will give parents peace of mind. Debbie Colangelo is one of the thousands of angry parents from last August, and she is looking forward to the system. She has two daughters in the middle school, and she spent a frantic 40 minutes trying to locate their whereabouts after the bus they were riding on dropped them off seventy miles away from their home by mistake.

The Best Idea? Maybe Not.

Colangelo says that although the GPS system “sounds cool,” she wonders if the district can truly afford this expensive technology. $1 million of the total costs are covered with financial reserves from the district’s capital improvement fund, basically a rainy-day fund. The problem lies in the fact this rainy-day fund is dipped into for renovations to the schools in the district, and with a long list of building maintenance needs such as leaky roofs, some wonder if using this money for the GPS tracking system is necessarily a good idea.

“There are more basic things that need to be done with the money,” said Colangelo. Technology doesn’t matter if your roofs are caving in, or if kids have to sit next to a bucket filling with water during a rainstorm.”

Federal Appeals Court Hears Warrantless GPS Tracking Case

May 23rd, 2013

It’s the issue that just won’t go away, and for good reason. Many Americans are passionate about their privacy, and this case puts that well-protected privacy at risk. In March, the 3^rd US Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both the ACLU and the Obama administration, and must decide whether or not to allow the act of placing GPS tracking devices onto the vehicles of suspected criminals without a warrant.

This all stems from the Jones case, where the court ruled then that it was unconstitutional to do so – it goes against the Fourth Amendment, after all. The Obama administration jumped in and requested an appeal to overturn the case. This would give them full reign to rely on continuous GPS tracking for suspected criminals, without the need to prove probable cause to a judge.

What The Obama Administration Believes

According to those within the federal government who support this, they want exceptions for law enforcement to be able to conduct certain searches and seizures. The list includes criminals on probation and students, with these searches and seizures conducted in the name of securing US borders or apprehending suspected narcotics dealers.

The Obama administration went before the court and said that GPS tracking of citizens without a warrant should be an option based on probable cause alone, whether the opinion of federal or local law enforcement. No judge should have to decide.

What They Said

Lawyers for Obama said, “Requiring a warrant and probable cause before officers may attach a GPS device to a vehicle, which is inherently mobile and may no longer be at the location observed when the warrant is obtained, would seriously impede the government’s ability to investigate drug trafficking, terrorism, and other crimes. Law enforcement officers could not use GPS devices to gather information to establish probable cause, which is often the most productive use of such devices. Thus,, the balancing of law enforcement interests with the minimally intrusive nature of GPS installation and monitoring makes clear that a showing of reasonable suspicion suffices to permit use of a ‘slap-on’ device like that used in this case.”

The ACLU Speaks Out

The ACLU holds an entirely differing opinion. According to Catherine Crump, ACLU attorney, the warrant “is particularly important when it comes to GPS tracking because the technology is cheap, convenient, difficult to detect, and highly intrusive…given how easy and inexpensive it is to track a suspect using GPS, neither cost nor effort will stop the government in using it in cases where it isn’t reasonable. The courts must impose strict limitations on the use of this technology in order to protect the right of all Americans to go about their daily lives without being tracked by the government.”

Do you side with the government or the ACLU on this issue? We’d love to get your feeback!

Wisconsin Tightens Restraining Order Violation Laws with GPS Tracking

May 20th, 2013

Should it be lawful to electronically monitor specific offenders deemed potentially “high risk” who have not yet ever violated a restraining order? Governor Scott Walker of Brookfield, Wisconsin, stirred up a controversy this year when he answered yes. He has recommended setting aside grants totalling $3 million to fund the project that would track via GPS technology individuals who are considered too unsafe not to supervise but have as yet done nothing after receiving the restraining order to warrant the tracking.

The portion allotted from the grant comes from an even larger $14 million set aside for law enforcement departments involved in monitoring internet activities for criminal use to sexually manipulate children and bolstering the safety of victims of sex crimes (protection in transport to court, emergency response to a call, etc). The restraining order part of Governor Walker’s plan comes with certain criteria necessary to be met to prevent “just anybody” from being slapped with a GPS tracking device. Wisconsin already has in place “Cindy’s Law” which makes lawful the GPS tracking of criminals who have previously broken the conditions of their restraining order. Violators are GPS tracked for both date/time and location. whether after release from prison back into public domain or even if they’ve never been in jail, to ensure they do not enter an exclusion zone, an area predefined in the restraining order. The criminal will be dealt with the authorities upon crossing the exclusion zone if it was previously deemed unlawful as well as unsafe for the petitioner of the restraining order.

To GPS track specific hazardous individuals who have never violated their restraining order, certain prior behavior will have had to occur. The Governor’s proposal stipulates the criminal must have before caused physical abuse to the petitioner or household pet(s), an incident of strangling or sexual abuse, vandalism to the petitioner’s personal property, including forced access to him or her. The violator can also be eligible for GPS tracking if he or she has ever made any verbal threats of injury to anyone (not just the victim), including using or declaring intention to use a gun or other dangerous weapon.

Britain: GPS Tracking Of Stolen Vehicles Put To The Test

May 18th, 2013

GPS tracking devices have been relied upon by many private investigators for a long time. They are effective in locating just about anything all over the world, especially expensive items like iPhones and cars.

Over in the UK, the Telegraph reported recently on a CCTV video released by the West Midlands Police showing two men stealing a BMW 118D from a hotel parking lot in Ladywood, Birmingham in under 15 seconds. This certainly shows the merits of a GPS tracking device when it comes to recovering your stolen car. The two men, brothers, stole a total of 13 cars over the period of 20 days, a combined value of about £250,000. The GPS tracking device, very well hidden on the BMW, directed police right to the garage attached to the brothers’ house in Brierley Hill’s Old Bush Industrial estate in Birmingham.

The brothers were sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles at Birmingham Crown Court.

GPS: Recovering Cars Quickly and Easily

Investigating officer DC Matt Dyer of the West Midlands Police said, “This was an organized, sophisticated operation with high performance cars being stolen in less than 60 seconds. Their method of entry was somewhat rudimentary, but once inside they clearly demonstrated technical skill to start the engine very quickly.

“Our investigation led us to recover all but one of the cars they stole. Car theft is a very risky business given that so many are now fitted with (GPS) tracker devices and that our road network is covered extensively by Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras which allow us to monitor vehicle movement.”

Private Investigator Agrees

Private Investigator, an independent detective agency out of Birmingham, also relies on GPS tracking devices. They also turn to the devices in cases where one spouse is said to be cheating on the other to see where it is they are going. As soon as the device is affixed to the vehicle, tracking can begin. The use of tracking devices on the vehicles stolen by the brothers allowed the owners to be reunited with their property.

Says Kristy George, spokeswoman for Private Investigator: “In my professional opinion these brothers were lucky to have stolen as many cars as they did with all the crime prevention modern technology available. An expensive vehicle like a BMW should be fitted with a GPS tracker for the owner’s peace of mind.”