GPS?

Anonymous asked,

GPS anyone?

Since this is the OEMC blog would anyone of you confirm or deny the use of it?

There have been many a post saying it is used and many stating it is not. It is known that it is use for some "investigations" but is OEMC activiely tracking cars? Is it a trial run on a few cars or more prevalent?

If it is in use how come when beat XXXX is running and is not able to give out a precise location for whatever reason, can the dispatcher then give location of vehicle and send units in that direction.

6:03 AM

Okay, we'll officially confirm it unofficially (we're not official spokespersons for OEMC). As was said by 2 previous anonymous posters, we do not have GPS tracking on the zones/citywides. It is strictly rumor. There is as much validity to this rumor as there probably is to the rumor that CPD went back to a bunch of older, beat-up Police Interceptors and put trackers/modules on all of them.

Minimally most of the people on the Operations Floor (ourselves included) are even unaware of "investigations" that it's used in.

And, since it's not in use, when a dispatcher can give a correction location of a unit running and unable to transmit much, it could be because:

The dispatcher heard a location/direction through the other open keys in the field (we can on occasion);

The dispatcher's pedal was open while he/she asked for a location and inadvertently "covered up" the chasing unit as he/she yelled out a location (it happens on occasion during the quick back-&-forth on occasion). The dispatcher then simply repeats the information for the assisting units;

The unit is chasing someone from the job we just sent them on, or;

On more rare occasion, the unit put themselves down on the PDT so we can look at the location and start sending assists there.

Hope this helps clear up some confusion.