Cell phone tracking

[smason]

It's been a few weeks since I did any monitoring, but did listen a bit this weekend.
I noticed 4 seperate instances where CPS was tracking the location of cell phones.

Is this something new to CPS?, or have I just not heard it before...

 

[HDMechanic]

I don't think this is new. Dispatcher are always working with cell phone providers to get info on towers which are being used by certain users. I remember a while back the RCMP had there dispatch tracking a tower that was being used by a person who was lost and didn't know where they where. Its amazing what they can due with todays technology.

 

[robertmac]

5 kms = 20 kms

I'm no expert on Cell phone technology, but I thought some phones had GPS functions that would allow one to track exactly where the "phone" is located. While knowing what cell tower the signal is being received at helps, it is not an exact location. With the centralization of 911, it would really help if GPS locations were available from the "phone". Have heard too many people say 5 kms west of Brooks, when they are more than 20 kms.. Heard RCMP waste a lot of time/effort running around trying to find this person 5 kms west of Brooks. When out in the wastelands, cell towers are far apart, so exact coordinates would be very meaningful.

 

[SCPD]

There are several methods that can work everything from GPS tracking to Triangulation.

There is the technology built into almost all phones (except the real old ones .. but really anyone sold these days will have GPS tracking) that will allow them to determine where the cell phone is. As long as the cell is on .. it can be tracked.

It should be noted that this equipment is in general only sold to Law Enforcement to of course prevent misuse of the technology.

Check out .. Spy Equipment, Spy Grear, Surveillance catalog for some interesting toys. :twisted:

 

[SCPD]

It's been a few weeks since I did any monitoring, but did listen a bit this weekend.
I noticed 4 seperate instances where CPS was tracking the location of cell phones.

Is this something new to CPS?, or have I just not heard it before...

What I think you’re hearing is dispatch coordinating a search for a 911 hang up call from a cell phone.
CPS will attempt to locate the cell by data supplied by the cell phone carrier such as last known tower.....

According to my source in Calgary this happens at least 32 times a day.

 

[smason]

I know it's not new technology, I just hadn't heard it discussed on the air before. I thought maybe there was a new development in what situations they are allowed to use it. A couple of them were clearly more accurate than tower locations, and were definitely gps or a-gps.

2 were 10-07s 1 of which mentioned a "ping of the cell phone"
1 was what sounded like a very serious 10-11 with weapon, and the K9 track lead to a dead end, then they determined the cell was way up at the airport.