07-005 3SI Electronic Satellite Pursuit GPS Tracking Procedures

3SI ELECTRONIC SATELLITE PURSUIT GPS TRACKING PROCEDURES

PURPOSE

The 3SI Security Systems’ (3SI) electronic satellite pursuit currency and property tracking system is being used by many banking and commercial establishments throughout the Los Angeles County area to track money and property taken in a robbery. The device is additionally being used by law enforcement in property theft operations or “bait property stings.” A GPS device is hidden within “bait money or bait property,” and, when activated, the 3SI tracking device sends out a signal to cell towers and satellites and utilizes GPS and cellular data to track the device. This information is then displayed on the 3SI web page.

Under optimal conditions, the suspect’s location is updated on the website using the GPS data with 6 to 15 second delay, although the delay can be longer due to poor reception coverage in some areas. It will locate the device to within 35 feet as well as indicate current speed and direction of travel. As with any technical system, there is a need to define procedural guidelines and responsibilities of involved personnel and units, which is the purpose of this directive.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING COMMERCIAL ROBBERIES

The watch deputy or dispatcher at each station shall log in to the 3SI website (http://www.3SITracking.com) at the beginning of each shift via their desktop computer. The browser window shall not be minimized to the bottom of your desktop, as this will disable the website’s audible alert. The screen may be viewed with a full screen or may be reduced by utilizing the “restore down” button on the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

When a bank robbery or other type of commercial robbery occurs and the “bait money” or “bait device” is activated, 3SI, the Sheriff’s Communication Center (SCC), and the affected sheriff’s station’s computer will receive an audible alert. After being alerted of the activation, the station and SCC personnel shall maximize the 3SI webpage in order to view the following information: the name of the business, the address of the business, and the exact location where “bait money” or “bait property” was taken from (e.g., what teller, the vault, etc.) or type of “bait device” (such as cell phones, prescription medication bottles, etc).

After reviewing the information provided from the 3SI webpage, the SCC dispatcher will enter the call for service with an “E” priority and send it to the corresponding station’s dispatcher. The affected station shall not enter the alert as a call for service.  SCC will utilize the radio code “211E.” The “E” represents an electronic activation. The terms “GPS” or “tracker” shall not be mentioned anywhere in the call or over the radio, as suspects may monitor our radio traffic. We do not wish to compromise our ability to apprehend them by mentioning the GPS device during any radio communications.

The call for service shall therefore be entered in the following format:

Location: 12345 Stop Street, Lyn Bank of America

Code: 211E

Inf: Pennsylvania

Rmk: (Track 72261), Teller one activated and Vault, FTF

The handling deputy shall coordinate the call for service on their dispatch frequency as a “Robbery-In-Progress” until confirmation that the suspect(s) have fled the scene, becomes available. The SCC dispatcher will verbally update the station personnel on any and every change of position of the GPS device and will preface each update by stating the amount of time that has passed since the location was updated. The SCC dispatcher will utilize the 3SI webpage for the updated information. The affected station’s personnel will be able to simultaneously monitor the movement of the device along with SCC via the website.

If the suspect’s vehicle has been identified and is still traveling, deputies shall adhere to Code-9 and pursuit procedures as outlined in the MPP §5-09/200.00 - §5-09/210.30. If the suspect is tracked to a location and appears to be stationary, deputies shall adhere to the tactical incident procedures as outlined in the MPP §3-10/150.00 and the foot pursuit policies as outlined in the MPP §5-09/220.50. Responsibility, control, and the decision to terminate the tracking of a signal rests with the watch commander of the jurisdictional station.

If the signal is narrowed to within a small area, e.g., containment, building, apartment complex, etc., where a foot search will be conducted, a portable tracking device (handheld radio frequency beacon) may be used by the field deputies. Deputies may use the portable device without having to wait for SCC to give the updates. This portable device shall be kept in the Watch Commander’s office at the station until it is needed. The tracking of a signal (suspect) is a tactical response to a felony crime that has just occurred, and, as such, all principles of officer safety are to be employed.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR BAIT OPERATIONS

In any situation where a GPS tracking device is deployed in the field for the purposes of conducting a “bait operation” and/or training on the use of the device, personnel shall immediately notify station dispatch personnel, the on-duty watch commander, and the Advanced Surveillance and Protection (ASAP) unit. This applies to any type of deployment or training, as the 3SI devices will automatically alert station dispatch and any person(s) on the “alerts notification list” when a device is activated, regardless of the reason for deployment.

In situations where a GPS device is deployed in a bait operation at the station, the affected sheriff’s station’s dispatch computer will receive an audible alert for activations from the website. Alerts may also be sent to predesignated parties such as station detectives, field deputies and supervisors via text message or email. After being alerted of the activation, station dispatch personnel shall maximize the 3SI webpage in order to view the following information: the name of the device and bait item, description of the bait item, and the current location and direction of travel of the device and bait item. Alerts may be delayed due to poor GPS and/or cellular signals. Dispatch will then generate a call for service using the appropriate radio code 487E, 488E. The “E” will represent an electric activation, and nowhere in the call or on the radio shall the phrase “GPS” be mentioned, since suspects may monitor our radio traffic (we do not wish to compromise our ability to apprehend them by mentioning the GPS device during any radio communications). Dispatch will provide field units with a description of the baited item and provide updates on the device location and direction of travel, if moving. The affected station’s personnel will be able to simultaneously monitor the movement of the device along with station dispatch by logging into the 3SI website via their MDC.

If the suspect is in a vehicle which has been identified and is still traveling, deputies shall adhere to Code-9 and pursuit procedures as outlined in MPP §§5-09/200.00 - 5-09/210.30. If the suspect is tracked to a location and appears to be stationary, deputies shall adhere to the tactical incident procedures as outlined in the MPP §3-10/150.00 and the foot pursuit policies as outlined in MPP §5-09/220.50. Responsibility, control, and the decision to terminate the tracking of a signal rests with the watch commander of the jurisdictional station.

If the signal is narrowed to within a small area, e.g., containment, building, apartment complex, etc., where a foot search will be conducted, a portable tracking device (handheld radio frequency beacon) may be used by the field deputies. Deputies can use the portable device to further narrow down the scope of the search to identify specific areas where the device may be located (such as a specific vehicles’ trunk or specific apartment in an apartment complex). This portable device shall be kept in the Watch Commander’s office at the station until it is needed. The tracking of a signal (suspect) is a tactical response to a property crime, and, as such, all principles of officer safety are to be employed. In cases where a search warrant is required to recover a device/bait item from a residence, locked vehicle or other private property, field deputies shall contact a supervisor and/or the Station Detective Bureau and adhere to procedures outlined in MPP §§5-09/465.00 – 5-09/465.60.

In instances where the device/bait item is abandoned by the suspect and recoverable, deputies will retrieve the device/bait item and return it to the station for storage or redeploy the device in the field. If the device/bait item appears to be damaged or altered in any way from its original condition (after the bait operation has been completed), deputies shall complete a Damage to County Property (SH-R-49), and report the damage to the Watch Commander, ASAP Unit, and adhere to MPP §3-01/040.15.

Any incident associated with a GPS arrest shall be documented using a secondary ASAP statistical code. The statistical code shall go on the classification line of the Incident Report (SH-R-49) and in the MDC clearance. ASAP statistical codes “only” cannot be used for the issuance of an URN number but shall be used as a secondary statistical clearance code.

Please ensure the following stat codes are used:

837 - ASAP – 3SI/GPS Tracking Examples:

Personnel making an arrest due to a GPS tracking alert shall enter “837" as a secondary statistical clearance code in their MDC Log Clearance and on the Classification line of the SH-R-49 report form.

If the system is required to be referred to for the probable cause in an arrest report, the details of how the system operates shall not be documented. Incident reports may include verbiage similar to the following: “We were led to the suspect (or the suspect’s vehicle) by utilizing a confidential law enforcement tracking device.” The report shall only make reference to a “device” which led to the location of the suspect. GPS technology and the 3SI company should not be mentioned in the report or mentioned in any court testimony. For this reason, when an electronic robbery call is typed in, the informant’s information will display “Pennsylvania.” Pennsylvania is where 3SI’s home office is located and where all electronic activations are monitored. The California Evidence Code §1040(b)(2) grants law enforcement the privilege of not disclosing any official information if there is a necessity for preserving the confidentiality of that information. Detectives and those personnel testifying in a case involving the use of this device should consult with the prosecutor on the case prior to any testimony.

Field Operation Support Services will maintain a training outline and procedures on the use of the portable devices and the use of the 3SI website on their intranet website. All station desk personnel shall view this training prior to logging on to the 3SI webpage and prior to implementing any information provided by the GPS tracker. It will be up to each individual station’s Unit Commander to determine whether desk personnel shall be trained on the 3SI technology and the use of their website prior to being assigned to the dispatch area. Field supervisors and field deputies shall also be trained on the use of the portable devices prior to deploying them in the field.

AFFECTED DIRECTIVES/PUBLICATIONS

Manual of Policy and Procedures §§5-09/200.00 - 5-09/210.30 (Pursuit Policy)

CITES/REFERENCES

Evidence Code §1040(b)(2)

3SI Webpage - http://www.3sitracking.com/