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Police Locator

real- time police tracking
  (+4, -10)(+4, -10)
(+4, -10)
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against]

A subscription service that allows you to see the locations of police cars on a navigation unit in your vehicle.

The service puts up receiver units on cell towers in a populated area. The receiver units are tuned into police bands and triangulate their positions. The information is sent to a processing computer which in turn transmits a data signal (via cell signal) to a special navigation unit in your vehicle that you purchase from the service. The navigation unit plots (in real time) the location of the signals. It also warns you of known speed traps, intersection cameras, etc.

Police units don't have to be transmitting all the time in order to be tracked. Police radio units often relay signals from other units so they can reach the dispatch center. Some radar detector units search for the relay signals to let you know there is a cop near by even if their radar is not on.

KineticKill, Apr 27 2008

An article about Trapster: http://mobile.slash...id=08/04/03/1632215
Get warnings texted to your mobile phone. [Amos Kito, Apr 27 2008]

A radar detector with GPS that remembers where the speed traps are: http://gizmodo.com/...ed-traps-235015.php
Some interesting comments on that page, too. [Amos Kito, Apr 27 2008]

[link]






       What would be the reason for wanting to use such a service?
MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 27 2008
  

       thought about, did'nt post it. You did +
evilpenguin, Apr 27 2008
  

       thought about, did'nt post it. You did -
MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 27 2008
  

       Where I live they are easy to find... just go to the local Chinese take away and within five minutes you will see members of the local (and totally useless) constabulary waddling out, weighed down with brown bags bulging with portions of gravy chips. As they sit stuffing their faces in an armoured car, a pensioner will be being terrorised by drunken teenagers around the corner.   

       rant rant - but where I live the police are a total waste of space, and no one cares where they are.
xenzag, Apr 27 2008
  

       //What would be the reason for wanting to use such a service?//   

       Maybe KineticKill wants to deliver Chinese takeaway?
Ling, Apr 28 2008
  

       I guess it's the same all over the world- cops here aren't of much use and are usually found at doughnut shops.   

       The service is marketed toward drivers of high end vehicles that have "spirited driving" tendencies. The unit seems like it might encourage unsafe driving but if it slowed people down, at least some of the time, then there would be less people breaking the law. If individuals who really don't want to be stopped and aren't then there would be less occurrences of high speed chases which is safer for everyone.
KineticKill, Apr 28 2008
  

       I guess this would help if it were fitted into police cars. That way, they could quickly find colleagues who are parked at a crime scene (aiding GPS) or be able to get hold of backup in a more intelligent way than a central call for anyone nearby. If you'd posted that reason and use, I would have given you a bun.   

       However; you have posted a reason based upon aiding criminals. Unsurprisingly that earns a big fishbone from me.
vincevincevince, Apr 28 2008
  

       Stupid idea, even for criminals; cops' beats are sync'd so there's no appreciable "dead zones" for any length of time, and as far as "creative driving" is concerned...   

       a) on the highway, a CB radio will get you info on speedtraps, and...   

       b) in the city, all the speedtraps are known, and if you *don't* know where they are, then you don't know any other info (like school x'ings and blind driveways) so what the hell are you doing speeding ?
FlyingToaster, Apr 28 2008
  

       It encourages selfish driving. Bone. Dangerous driving isn't bad because the police might chase you, it's bad because it's dangerous.
Secession, Apr 28 2008
  

       To be honest, I thought that was what the flashing lights and sirens were for.
DrCurry, Apr 28 2008
  

       I always know that cops are never going to be there when I need them. Also, they seldom respond quickly...usually taking hours and in some cases days to get around to anwering a call for help or to report a robery or burglary. It's not bad cops...it's just the nature of what the police business has become...marriage councelors, child safety inspectors, traffic law enforcers...the list is endless....they very seldom respond to actual crimes in actions.
Blisterbob, Apr 28 2008
  

       Very useful for muggers, bank robbers and crims in general...
lostdog, Apr 28 2008
  

       Good one [drC]
zeno, Apr 28 2008
  

       //a call for help or to report a robery// "We have a four-seventeen on Bleaker and West, two males in bathrobes."
MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 29 2008
  

       [21 Quest] don't take it personally, that's just what they do to raving madmen.
zeno, Apr 30 2008
  

       You guys don't know how to have fun...   

       I guess if all the guys that owned Bugatti Veyrons and Ferrari Enzos were reading this I would have a better rating.   

       This isn't for the cops, and I wouldn't sell them a subscription or the equipment. If they cant find each other and work efficiently then thats their problem.   

       Aiding criminals? All the service provides is information. What you do with that is up to you. Do the people that sell radar detectors aid criminals? What about the people who sell books like the anarchist's cookbook? Do gun shops aid criminals? If you answered yes to any of these then ask yourself why isn't there laws against selling all those products? (in the USA)
KineticKill, Apr 30 2008
  

       Classic comedy.
Texticle, Apr 30 2008
  
      
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