Policy Text
Field Services Page 1 of 7 04/04 (REV 1/04)
Electronic Tracking Devices
The purpose of this order is to establish policies, procedures and responsibilities for the
operation of the electronic tra cking devices (Electronic Tracki ng System, "ETS" and
Lojack). I. General
The electronic tracking devices have been implem ented within Fi eld Services and
the Communications Bureau in order to promote rapid arrests and the recovery
of property. Major requirements necessary for the electronic de vices to be
effective include confidentialit y, adequate training of personn el and deployment
of patrol vehicles equipped wit h detection devices. As referre d to in this order,
electronic tracking devices refer to Electronic Tracking System (ETS) and Lojack.
A. Electronic Tracking System ( ETS) - the prim ary components of the system
include transmitters which are attached to targeted property, r emote
detectors which advise the comm unications bureau when and the g eneral
area where these devices are a ctivated, and mobile tracking dev ices
which allow patrol officers to tr ack and specifically locate th is property.
B. Lojack – the Lojack system is part of a Stolen Vehicle Recov ery Network
(SVRN). The Lojack system incl udes small radio-frequency trans ceivers
installed within consumer vehicl es, the Police Tracking Compute r (PTC)
installed in law enforcemen t vehicles, and the SVRN. The trans ponders
are hidden and not located in the sa me place on each consumer v ehicle.
The transponder’s reply code, vehi cle description and VIN are e ntered into
the SVRN database. Sheriff’s pat rol vehicles are equipped with PTC’s
that allow officers to track and locate the stolen vehicle tran smitting the
Lojack signal.
C. Mobile Tracking Equipment/Uni t – any Sheriff’s vehicle equip ped with
either ETS or Lojack tracking equipment.
1. A patrol vehicle will have onl y one tracking system at a tim e, ETS
or Lojack.
Field Services Page 2 of 7 04/04 (REV 1/04) II. Confidentiality
A. ETS - in order to maximize system confidentiality, officers should never tell
a suspect how he was located or discuss the ETS in the suspects ’
presence. Department employees are directed not to enter into a
discussion with the general pub lic regarding this system. Non- law
enforcement "ride-alongs" will no t be permitted in ETS equipped vehicles,
without the watch commander’s appr oval. If questions are receiv ed from
the media, they should be referr ed to the media information off icer. There
shall be no direct reference to any ETS devic e or activity on the crime
report face sheet or on the arrest (booking) reports.
B. Lojack – Lojack is a comme rcially available product that can be purchased
by the general public. Many consum er Lojack equipped vehicles are
marked with the company logo, ther efore the confidentiality req uirements
are significantly l ess than with ETS.
III. Training
Training needs will be determined and scheduled by the training /relief sergeants
in the respective divisions. Training for new personnel shall be incorporated
within existing training progr ams. The ETS and Lojack manuals are available
through Patrol Training. Annual E TS or Lojack training is avai lable through the
ETS coordinator.
IV. Deployment
Successful and timely apprehensi ons will be directly related to the deployment of
available mobile tracking equi pment. The general goal shall be to achieve the
maximum deployment of equipment wit h the least disruption of no rmal
operations. A. Most marked patrol vehicl es are equipped with ETS antennas a nd
brackets, with the exception of supervisor and Lojack (PTC) equ ipped
vehicles. Not every patrol v ehicle is equipped with Lojack. Unm arked
vehicles generally are no t equipped with either system.
B. Equipment room supervisors - It is the responsibility of the equipment
room personnel to ensure that mob ile tracker vehicles, which ar e
temporarily out of service, have the tracking equipment moved t o another
operational vehicle. Patro l deputies will not do this.
1. When an ETS mobile tracker is moved from one patrol vehicle to
another, it should be re-calibrated to insure accuracy.
2. It is the responsibility of t he person moving the ETS mobile tracker,
to re-calibrate it.
Field Services Page 3 of 7 04/04 (REV 1/04) 3. The ETS equipment needs to be k ept in working condition. Thi s
includes the vehicle mobile tr acking unit equipment, hand-held
triangle devices, and pocket detectors.
4. Once a Lojack Police Tracking Com puter (PTC) has been installed
in a patrol vehicle, it is only to be moved or serviced by trai ned
personnel, such as a representativ e from the Technical Services
Division or Fleet Management. If a PTC needs to be moved, the equipment room superviso r will coordinate it.
C. Patrol supervisors – Patrol supervisors should insure at lea st one ETS,
and preferably, one PTC equipped v ehicle be deployed each shift .
1. If there is a specific crime pattern being addressed, a spec ial
deployment scheme may be appropr iate. Decisions for special
deployment are to be made wit h the approval