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While many people think that GPS Tracking Systems are about the best thing since sliced deli meat, there has been some question recently as to the effectiveness of these systems if left unmonitored. Think of it in terms of a security camera. If you install a security camera, but then no one ever watches the tape to check for unusual behavior, is the camera really doing its job? When it comes to a GPS tracking system, the same concept applies.

John Albert Gardener was a sex offender with a GPS monitor tracking his every move. After he molested a 14-year-old girl in 2000 officials knew that he was dangerous, so they took precaution to make sure that Gardener went nowhere near another young woman. And yet, he succeeded in raping and murdering two helpless teenagers in 2009. How did this happen? Obviously, this paroled felon was not under as careful supervision as officials thought.

photo credit to: D. Sharon Pruitt

When young Amber Dubois was abducted near her local high school one morning, obviously, no one was looking at John Gardener’s GPS tracking system. When Chelsea King was raped and murdered no policeman was aware. It was not until after the fact that the error of insufficient GPS monitoring was caught. Would these two young women be alive today if the system had been properly utilized? While the answer may be speculation, one thing is for sure: John Albert Gardener, a dangerous sex offender, was roaming the streets without anyone knowing where he was or what he was doing. Knowing the limits of technology is crucial to protecting the community at large.

GPS tracking systems are designed to protect the public from people like Gardener. With their monitoring capabilities these systems can keep police constantly debriefed as to the location of criminals wearing trackers. No sex offender wearing one should ever have the opportunity to repeat his offense, if carefully monitored. It is only when officials undervalue the tracking system and fail to monitor it that felons have the opportunity to go undetected.  Certain tracking devices set-up a “geo-fence” that when breached send off a signal or alarm to the monitoring station.  This is what should have been in place in this situation.

Statistics say that 1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. That’s one in every six American women who will live the rest of their lives with an emotional scar. And what about the young women, like Amber Dubois and Chelsea King, whose lives tragically end after a rape? It’s time to take action against sexual offenders and utilize GPS tracking to the fullest extent of its ability. It’s time to take monitoring seriously.

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By Greg Bartlett

Law enforcement officers have a responsibility to protect and defend law-abiding citizens. Many times this includes not only finding and punishing perpetrators of crimes, but also preventing known criminals from striking again. While prevention of crime is a monumental and sometimes frustrating task, GPS tracking devices have made the process more manageable, particularly when dealing with known criminals who are out on bail.

Tennessee police departments currently use GPS tracking devices to track sex offenders and will soon be implementing the system for other perpetrators as well. Offenders will be required to wear the devices at all times, allowing police to track their movements in real time as well as to review their exact location in retrospect. The signal sent from the GPS tracking device to the receiver gives police information such as location, speed of travel, number and duration of stops, and direction of travel.

Information can be viewed as a report pinpointing location at specified intervals, a technique known as “breadcrumbs” because it allows the viewer to follow the trail of signals to locate the GPS wearer. If a crime is committed that mimics a known perpetrator’s style or that occurs near the offender’s place of residence, police can check his location and know immediately whether he was in the area at the time.

Bail for known sex offenders has long been a point of contention for the average citizen. Living on a street where one’s children might come into contact with such a person raises concern for any parent. While GPS tracking devices cannot predict behavior, they do provide a check on the actions of criminals since the offender knows that his likelihood of being caught vastly increases with the GPS technology. Police officers in Memphis will monitor offenders’ GPS tracking devices from a “Real Time Crime Center” and thus will know whether complaints against an individual are legitimate or not.

Police officers have one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in our society. They make many enemies and are often blamed for failures in the system whether those failures could have been prevented or not. GPS tracking devices give police departments the upper hand in criminal investigations by instantly providing accurate information regarding known criminals. With this information, police can evaluate whether current investigative lines of inquiry are likely to produce results or whether they should be pursuing another course of investigation altogether. It’s all part of upholding law and order in the safest and most effective manner possible.

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