Gps

[X-cube]

Before I go off on the P.O. I would like to hear from you all about the basics of this thing in your department, each department is different -true but I am sure you will all come close. I am not trying to compare the P.O. and LE, but just trying to educate myself. Since I am in the pre- application stage I might as well fill up on info. Now I do understand it is a tool used by the department but do they really regulate your every move - like saying at this time you should've been passing by this spot or if you have lunch/dinner or brreakfast that it should be in your zone only? If not will you be disciplined?


Now they want to give us GPS type scanners in feb and I really don't see the need for all of it. We were issued id badges with barcodes to scan also. We are already scanning boxes to let them know at what time we reached a certain address. Does it matter? no as long as the mail gets delivered. Gee that is where the stress kicks in. Sounds like I am comparing aren't I? I just wanted to know if there is a difference, if there isn't than I should just shut and prepare myself for when I cross over to LE.

[Paul Hartwig]

The gps system that the county used to use was more for officer safety than anything else. Or to coordinate perimeters or chases. Although a few command officers would regularly check it to see what they were doing even though they were not supposed to be allowed according to their union contract. Or they could backtrack if a complaint was made in reference to your driving speed or whatever.

Although the thing sucked. Did you know an impala could go 300mph? I didn't. Or that they could also double as a boat because once I saw one in the gulf of mexico.

They no longer use the system.

[ispcapt]

All our patrol squad cars (about 900+) have GPS in them. The GPS feeds into the laptops and the mapping program. We don't use them to track the Troops. Among other uses, all our crash reports are now identified by lat/long coords and not the old 1st and Main St. Much more precise data. Since all our crash reports are paperless, the GPS feeds the crash coords into the report. Also makes it very handy when giving out calls in the boonies if the lat/long is known.

[Paul Hartwig]

I actually wish we would have the mapping feature.

Macon County didn't have the computers so they had no use (deputies) for it.

We have the computers but no gps.

[LA5150]

There is a "license plate recognition" car at my division that scans license plates (for stolens, warrants, and so on) as we drive around. It has a nifty map screen behind the MDT that shows the locations of all cars scanned as green dots, and also shows where the police veh is & direction of travel.

It's really useful in the division I'm now in, since it is a very large area and I'm still learning all the streets, and there are a lot of roads where the signs are missing. I can glance at the map screen and at least have a clue where I am!