Tracking Police with GPS

[HankB]

It would seem that with a smartphone and the proper codes, it's possible to track the locations of some police.

http://fox2now.com/2012/04/09/private-citizens-may-be-tracking-police-with-gps/

Hmmm . . . wonder where the most cops will cluster during their shift, donut shops or strip clubs?   

[BlueStarLizzard]

Hmmm... It's good for accountability and by allowing all to axess it provides a lot of accoutability.

Is it possible for someone to write some script that would allow an officer to go "offline" for about and hour in order to keep bad guys from seeing him coming, or to work a speed trap for awhile, but the rest of the time, stays active?

[brimic]

Hmmm . . . wonder where the most cops will cluster during their shift, donut shops or strip clubs?

We had a case a few years ago in Milwaukee where a group of cops broke into a bowling alley that was closed down, had a little bowling party on their shift after which one of them claimed workman's comp for a wrist or shoulder injury incurred.

They probably woul dhave gotten away with it but for the workman's comp investigation using the GPS units in their squads to determine where they all were on their shift.

[Fitz]

Tough situation. One one hand, accountability is a good thing.

On the other hand, there's HUGE potential for misuse/abuse of this by criminal jerkwads. Potentially even staging ambushes for cops.

[roo_ster]

Hmmm... It's good for accountability and by allowing all to axess it provides a lot of accoutability.

Is it possible for someone to write some script that would allow an officer to go "offline" for about and hour in order to keep bad guys from seeing him coming, or to work a speed trap for awhile, but the rest of the time, stays active?

Why would you want to do that, if the intent is to keep folks' speed down?  Because knowing there is a cop will most likely have the same effect.

Overall, I think it is a good idea.  They are paid with taxpayers' dollars and have been granted more authority.  That ought to come with more accountability & scrutiny.

[Ben]

Tough situation. One one hand, accountability is a good thing.

On the other hand, there's HUGE potential for misuse/abuse of this by criminal jerkwads. Potentially even staging ambushes for cops.

Totally agree. I've been thinking a lot about this kind of thing lately, both from the public, and public servant side. I've been getting pretty negative about any kind of vehicle and location tracking of anyone. I'm really nervous that by the time I need a new vehicle, that "the man" will be able to track my every move with the built in do-dads. I think filming police is fine.

[makattak]

Why would you want to do that, if the intent is to keep folks' speed down?  Because knowing there is a cop will most likely have the same effect.

But only in that one area at the time the police officer is there. As much as I hate the revenue-maximizing games that many municipalities use this for, the chance that a cop may be there is probably sufficient to keep the speed down consistently more than the certainty that a cop is there today.

There are multiple spots on my way to and from work were police officers like to wait. (There's an extra $200 fine for speeding in those areas...) Knowing which days they are there would likely not affect my driving, but many others would undoubtedly drive much faster on the days no police officer gps showed up in those locations.

[Fitz]

I would say KNOWING cops locations would NOT be effective at limiting speed.

The uncertainty of a known "spot" keeps me slow, even on days when no one is there.

[makattak]

I would say KNOWING cops locations would NOT be effective at limiting speed.

The uncertainty of a known "spot" keeps me slow, even on days when no one is there.

What I said, but more concise. Concise is better.

[Fitz]

Yep. i was agreeing.





Side note: tint laws are mostly horseshit... so mad.

[RevDisk]

Tough situation. One one hand, accountability is a good thing.

On the other hand, there's HUGE potential for misuse/abuse of this by criminal jerkwads. Potentially even staging ambushes for cops.

Reality is, outside of a very limited known-dangerous areas, the odds of a cop being ambushed in a premeditated manner is on par with me getting hit by lightning. Twice.

[Fitz]

Reality is, outside of a very limited known-dangerous areas, the odds of a cop being ambushed in a premeditated manner is on par with me getting hit by lightning. Twice.

I said "potentially even..."

wasn't implying it was particularly likely

But certainly knowing police locations could be abused by criminals very easily. Know where they are? Deal drugs elsewhere.

They're no where near best buy? Break a window and steal the hell out of stuff.

[Balog]

I'm not necessarily a fan of real time public access tracking, but having it all recorded and published after the shift is over? Absolutely.

[makattak]

I'm not necessarily a fan of real time public access tracking, but having it all recorded and published after the shift is over? Absolutely.

This I am most definitely in favor of: "quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" All the rest of us.

[Ben]

but having it all recorded and published after the shift is over? Absolutely.

I would be in favor of that as well for most public servants, while on duty. I'm not in favor of public servants having those same kinds of records for the public though.

[Balog]

I would be in favor of that as well for most public servants, while on duty. I'm not in favor of public servants having those same kinds of records for the public though.

Oh, absolutely not. That would be a travesty. Just like .gov can make .mil folks wear uniforms, work out every morning etc. You agree to take tax money you give away a lot of rights while at work.

[roo_ster]

I think folk give the average speeder too much credit. 

Those few that might go to the trouble to inquire, use a radar & laser detector, etc. are usually much more attentive than the average driver...and likely less at risk for an accident.

Back when I used a radar detector and drove at speeds safe for the conditions rather than what was posted on the silly signs, my mind was much more focused on driving.  Now, when I have no worries about being pulled over to pay the ad-hoc road use tax, my mind is usually on other things, with the minimum number of cycles spent on driving.

[230RN]

Strikes me that fiddly-diddling around with a smart phone while speeding along is likely to get you killed.  I think I'd rather get the ticket.

[vaskidmark]

I'm old enough to remember when there was an uproar about CB-ers broadcasting the location of cop cars.  Not just the ones on the side of the road.

Now that might have been a kinder and gentler time as compared to today, but there was enough going on to have cops and certain citizens all in a lather about the possibility of cops being ambushed.

But what really makes me think this might be not just a Good Idea^TM but a Great Notion^SM is that it might be useful in dealing with the fact that cops seem to be intentionally unmindful of posted speed limits.  Yes, I know what "Code 2" is.  But I'm pretty sure cops are not dispatched "Code 2" to where they stop for lunch (among many other places I've watched them speed towards).  Compare speed with destination location and determine the cost to taxpayers for the lower gas mileage.  (locally we are going through round n=x+1 of making the cops turn off their engines when sitting idle for more than (this time) three minutes.  The projected savings will keep the County Libraries open on Thursdays - they are currently closed then due to budget shortfall, and the folks who work there are getting partial unemployment benefits which in the final analysis only makes the total budget shortfall even larger.

stay safe.

[Tallpine]

making the cops turn off their engines when sitting idle for more than (this time) three minutes

The trouble might be the battery running down due to the radio, lights, etc still going. 

Our wildland fire engines have to be left running all the time on incidents, except at a staging area or truly safe zone.  We run the beacon lights all the time in order to be seen through the smoke, or at night.

[vaskidmark]

The trouble might be the battery running down due to the radio, lights, etc still going. 

Our wildland fire engines have to be left running all the time on incidents, except at a staging area or truly safe zone.  We run the beacon lights all the time in order to be seen through the smoke, or at night.

I never said the folks making the "rule" were intelligent.  I just reported on the rule they made.

But is it wrong that there's a part of me that really, really wants to see a cruiser on the side of the road with the cop holding up jumper cables and wishing somebody would stop?  (And before you start, please tell me of the last time the cops rushed somewhere to prevent a crime from occurring.)

stay safe.

[Hawkmoon]

Police Chief Gordon Brock fears access codes have even leaked to private citizens.  He said, “I know it`s been leaked to citizens because I`ve been personally questioned about locations i`ve been.”

Chief Brock thinks it`s a good tool, if used strictly by police.

Naturally.

Another example of some citizens being more equal than others. It's okay for the police to fly military drones over your memorial Day backyard barbecue, but you're not supposed to know where the police are.

[drewtam]

Don't the police know that driving is a privilege and not a right?
Don't they know the gov't argues that no warrant is needed for GPS tracking of suspects? No expectation of privacy and all that.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/warrantless-gps-monitoring/


Can't have it both ways. Either travel, privacy, and warrants for search and seizure are rights or their not. Turn about is fair play. In fact, since they argue all these absurd things... every cop, judge and elected official should have their GPS information made available 24/7. No expectation of privacy.



PS: Yes I know the unwarranted tracking was overruled by the SC. The point stands that the gov't argued it has the right to do it without a warrant.

[Hawkmoon]

Can't have it both ways. Either travel, privacy, and warrants for search and seizure are rights or their not. Turn about is fair play. In fact, since they argue all these absurd things... every cop, judge and elected official should have their GPS information made available 24/7. No expectation of privacy.

PS: Yes I know the unwarranted tracking was overruled by the SC. The point stands that the gov't argued it has the right to do it without a warrant.

But, of course, the .gov DOES want to have it both ways, and they throw hissy fits when they get their wrists slapped.

Hypocrisy, thy name is ... government.