Chicagoist: Big Brother Is Watching the Po-Po, Too

JP2

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:25:27 -0600

Well, so long as it was provided and required for every unit it would be interesting. You'd might be surprised how much a car chase or 10-1 in 011 (Harrison) or 007 (Englewood) resembles a scene from the Blues Brothers. This might actually be interesting enough for some to get scanners. Alas, this information will never be made public in real-time or comprehensively retrospectively. The CPD does not want criminals (e.g., bank robbers or drug dealers) to know where the police are, or to know patrol patterns (e.g., shortages) at any particular time and place. It would, nevertheless, be a great tool for supervisors and dispatchers to track their resources.

guest

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:01:22 -0600

I bet you could spend all day watching a real-time Google Map of CPD car locations. I know I would. It'd be fascinating to see.

guest

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:58:08 -0600

I can understand how officer privacy would be in issue if they carried these phones off the clock. However, I don't see what police officers on the clock should need to be private about. It won't be broadcasting their inner most feelings, just a location. At that location they could be still acting inappropriately (as matty mentioned), but they could also be making a routine traffic stop. Either way their superiors could use the information to track what neighborhoods need more patrols (on average) and what squad car is the nearest to a certain location (called in from a 911).

matty

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:22:13 -0600

I don't really see how this will prevent the shakedowns, illegal drug schemes, needless shootings and bar beatings that some Chicago cops seem to be so attracted to these days. Though at least we will know when they are at the Dunkin' Donuts.

Peter Mavrik

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:15:59 -0600

Hmm. I wonder if the public will get the 5-0's tracking data mapped to a google map. I wonder where they spend most of their time...