Police get GPS systems

[sand_man]

I feel the same way. Now the cops will wait 5-10 minutes while they try and key in the correct address in the unit before starting to drive there, just to end up at the wrong address. An electronic map is not a substitute for human knowledge, yes it helps, but I suspect many people think GPS's know better than themselves. This is wrong.

Look, while you not wrong, the GPS can also be used to relay information to other officers during the pursuit of a suspect, depending on the model the police are getting it can also be used as a hands free kit. If suspects are being pursued by the police chopper and the suspects flee into a veld or unmapped territory their location can be relayed to cops on the ground using co-ordinates so the tool can be used more diversely than simply going to a specific address....

 

[vespax]

Look, while you not wrong, the GPS can also be used to relay information to other officers during the pursuit of a suspect, depending on the model the police are getting it can also be used as a hands free kit. If suspects are being pursued by the police chopper and the suspects flee into a veld or unmapped territory their location can be relayed to cops on the ground using co-ordinates so the tool can be used more diversely than simply going to a specific address....

Sounds nice doesn't it? All this tech helping out in the pursuit of a criminal. But when it comes down to a car chase or a foot chase through the veld, you leave the techy stuff and just get down to the business of running after the guy.

What you are saying is possible, however I very much doubt that the Garmin units have this function. In fact, Garmin units have very little of this function, unless you are using Rino's which I beleive don't work outside of the the USA (because of radio frequency legality).

Garmin Rino

If they are using some specific GPS units (maybe Trimbles or Magellans) and incorporating that with mobile GIS software and cell signals to uplink locations and data to all parties involved than I can see it. But not with a dash mounted Nuvi my friend.

 

[R/SGT]

A useful police person knows his/her area. They travel it everyday, they watch it and should notice when things are not right. Part of knowing your area is knowing where streets and buildings are.

Do you have any idea how large most police stations areas are?

Most officers will know where the suburbs are and the some of the streets in that suburb are, but to expect anybody to instantly know where every single street is totally ridiculous.

I feel the same way. Now the cops will wait 5-10 minutes while they try and key in the correct address in the unit before starting to drive there, just to end up at the wrong address. An electronic map is not a substitute for human knowledge, yes it helps, but I suspect many people think GPS's know better than themselves. This is wrong.

Both you and psivius have obviously never tried to read a map just using the cars overhead light or a torch, while the vehicle is moving at high speed. It will often take a few minutes to locate the street on the map ( the street names are printed rather small) whereas a person trained with a GPS can easily get the street in less time.

A GPS is a tool like a map book if it helps then use it.

 

[Jase]

Do you have any idea how large most police stations areas are?

Most officers will know where the suburbs are and the some of the streets in that suburb are, but to expect anybody to instantly know where every single street is totally ridiculous.




Both you and psivius have obviously never tried to read a map just using the cars overhead light or a torch, while the vehicle is moving at high speed. It will often take a few minutes to locate the street on the map ( the street names are printed rather small) whereas a person trained with a GPS can easily get the street in less time.

A GPS is a tool like a map book if it helps then use it.

Yup, I cannot remember all the street names of the suburbs I used to work in. Major streets yes, points of interest yes (shopping centers, hospitals, filling stations etc.), but I cannot remember all the "Thatobscurelittlesidestreet Avenue's"

Trying being alone on a vehicle, trying to read a map book and get to a location.

As R/SGT stated it is a tool that is useful and I know as I used a Nuvi 300 for quite sometime in the EMS. It definately improved my response times.

 

[EtienneK]

The biggest winner here is Garmin.

 

[vespax]

The biggest winner here is Garmin.

Correction: Avnic Trading

 

[HavocXphere]

I reckon its a brilliant idea. I just hope they keep a register and check that they are actually used for the purpose for which they were donated. It would be sad if the office hotshots requisition the GPSs for their SUVs. Nonetheless, even if only half the units are actually used for field work, its still great.

Linkage with more info than IOL

 

[Omac]

why should citizens have to give this to police?

to help the police respond faster to emergencies

The answer was in your post.

OK! So the govt must provide.

But they don't!

So lets all sit on our hands and do diddly and then complain on MyADSL when the police can't find addresses and take too long to respond! That'll help the situation in a positive way!

 

[mercurial]

The answer was in your post.

OK! So the govt must provide.

But they don't!

So lets all sit on our hands and do diddly and complain on MyADSL when the police can't find addresses and take too long to respond!

we both know what i mean by asking the question smartypants

 

[Omac]

we both know what i mean by asking the question smartypants

Ja ok man!

 

[marine1]

702 and 94.7 have done more good for the citizens of this country than the freaking anc have done or will do in a thousand years.

 

[DJ...]

this is all of course assuming that they will use the equipment. i get the feeling that the police are rather laidback and not motivated to do their job. if anything, they should be paid more and given the required resources. yeah it's good when citizens help out, but we're talking about 700 GPS systems that citizens had to give away, cos government has failed. if we continue this, we are basically telling government that it is ok for them to do nothing.

I doubt it was mostly citizens. It is more than likely large corporate donations in which case it is a tax break for them and will form part of their existing CSR programs and budgets. Government and its citizens and companies need to work together better, this is a good example of that taking place.