How Does Law Enforcement Track a Vehicle With GPS?
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Identify the Suspect
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Before any tracking can occur, law enforcement officials need not only have a suspect under investigation, but they must also determine if it is relevant to the investigation to track that person's movements. Such tracking can be helpful in finding co-conspirators, discovering otherwise hidden locations, and determining the suspects location when the time for an arrest arrives. Other cases, such as vandalism or petty theft, rarely warrant in depth investigation, and would not be worthwhile targets of such tracking.
Possible Warrant
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Because GPS tracking devices fall into a legal gray area, warrants are not always required to authorize the use of such a device. While a warrant might be necessary to plant a tracking device inside a vehicle, it might not be necessary when placing a similar device on the exterior of the vehicle. There are also other factors to consider such as the ownership of the vehicle, the location of the vehicle when the tracker is applied and the type of tracking device that is used.
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Active or Passive Tracking Device
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Once the needed authorization is obtained, police will place a tracking device on the vehicle. To better conceal such a device, these are often placed inside the cab or trunk of the vehicle, and sometimes it's wired in to the electrical system for extended power.
Data Gathered
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Some GPS units broadcast their location at preset intervals using radio or cell phone technology. This variety is called an active tracking device, and it allows police to track a vehicle in near real time. Other units store location data digitally, recording at regular intervals for days or weeks until the data is retrieved from the unit. These sorts are known as passive tracking devices.
Data Analyzed
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Once police investigators have obtained the data from the device, the information is used as part of the investigation. Active tracking can lead investigators to meetings as they occur, while passive tracking will show when and where a suspect went. If relevant, the record of this data will also be used during any court proceedings.
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