Police Technology
Chapter Fifteen
Tracking and Surveillance
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Learning Objectives



Understand the difference between
passive surveillance and interactive
surveillance
Explore techniques for tracking vehicles
Explore using technology to hear or watch
offenders
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Surveillance Defined
As sustained
observations of an
offender, a group of
offenders, or a location.
 Passive – just
watching
 Interactive –
interacting with the
offender
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Fourth Amendment Issues


Anything someone does in public is
open to surveillance without court
order.
Anything that goes on that would be
reasonably visible from the street is
open to surveillance without a warrant
(Plain Sight Doctrine)
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Tracking Vehicles
Used in criminal investigations in three
manners:
 When the police install a tracking device on
an offender’s vehicle.
 When you have a tracking device on your
personal vehicle and it is stolen.
 When the police follow a vehicle in person
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Consumer installed Automatic
Vehicle Locator

System is activated and reports to a
central location.
Vendor contacts police.
 Vendor supplies the location of the
vehicle to the police.

Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Two types of Consumer
installed AVL:

Locating technology is installed in a
police vehicle. System is activated
and police receive signal and search
for the vehicle using technology
installed in the police vehicle.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Covert Tracking


Photograph provided by SpektraTek Law Enforcement Technologies
Installing a device
ON the vehicle,
usually on the
undercarriage.
Vehicle must be
parked on a public
street.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Covert Tracking

Installing a device
IN the vehicle
using requires a
warrant because
you are entering
the vehicle
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Tracking Electronic
Communications


Screen Capture provided by Pen-Link™
Cellular transmissions
can be tracked by
having the cellular
provider forward realtime information on
the cell sites the
device is using.
Requires a court
order.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Photo Red Light

Sensors, usually
under the pavement,
are coordinated with
the traffic signal.
Anyone entering the
intersection after the
red light is detected
and photographed.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Photo Red Light
Photographic traffic enforcement systems
(photo red light) use one of three types of
film:
 Industrial quality 35mm film (most
common)
 Digital cameras (digital images)
 Video cameras – allow for real-time
transmission of images.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Police In-car Video
Video recording devices offer visual
documentation of an event.
Limitations:
 Must be operating 24/7, in all
weather, in all conditions ruggedized
 Storage, record keeping, duration
of tapes
 What to record, when, how long?
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Police In-car Video



Videotapes are analog.
DVD’s are digital.
Digital Video Cassettes (DVCs) can
contain more information than analog
videotapes and are smaller, but you
still have lots of small tapes. Storage?
Records?
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Closed-Circuit Television
CCTV is
noncommercial
video recordings
that are broadcast
on a private
network (e.g.,
convenience
stores).
Top 3 uses of
CCTV:
 Investigative
 Evidence
documentation
 Crime reduction
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Closed-Circuit Television
Top 3 uses of
CCTV:
 Investigative
 Evidence
documentation
 Crime reduction
Photograph provided by SpektraTek Law Enforcement Technologies
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Uses of CCTV




Photographic traffic enforcement
In-car camera systems (police cars or
bait cars)
Surveillance of public places
Covert surveillance operations
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Uses of CCTV

Photograph provided by Pyramid Vision Technologies
Some CCTV system
are portable, while
others are hardwired
into vehicles and
locations.

The choice of type of
system affects
capabilities and is
usually dictated by
budget and mission
Photograph provided by SpektraTek Law Enforcement Technologies
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Body Wires


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Audio devices that can be secreted on a
person.
Used during interactive surveillance
especially undercover capacity. No
warrant or court order is required.
Consists of a transmitter, power source,
and antenna.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Night Vision Devices
Night vision technology consists of
two major types:
 Light amplification imaging
(intensification)
 Thermal imaging (infrared)
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Light amplification




Takes small amount of light from
surrounding area
Converts protons into electrons
Directs electrons through disk channels
Electrons bounce around and release more
energy
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Thermal Imaging



Photograph provided by ITT Industries
Imagers take infrared
light (heat) and focus
it on light detectors
Detectors create a
thermogram (pattern)
Imager converts info
to electrical data and
creates an image.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Video Evidence
There are other sources of video evidence
besides CCTV at a crime location
 ATM machines
 Gas stations
 Post offices
 Parking Lots
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Police Technology
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Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster