Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 531.03
Page 1 of 3
531.03
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) EQUIPPED PROPERTY
3-16-18
PURPOSE
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for responding to and deploying officers to the
theft of GPS- enabled equipment owned by either private citizens or the Department.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department to enhance public safety by using
Department property enabled with GPS equipment as bait and by responding to GPS activations to
apprehend suspects.
PROCEDURE
A. GENERAL
1. GPS technology may be used to
a. Proactively address crime series and patterns.
b. Deter crimes of theft by advertising deployment of the equipment.
c. Facilitate the safe apprehension of suspects.
d. Recover property.
e. Promote officer and citizen safety.
2. Officers sho uld remember to use the appropriate search authority in a manner consistent with
federal, state, and current case laws, such as, but not limited to, consent, probation/parole,
exigent circumstances, and search warrants. Employees should refer to the Search Manual
(RM 526.01) for more information and clarification.
B. GPS ENABLED EQUIPMENT – PRIVATELY OWNED
1. Officers shall be dispatched to recover privat ely owned GPS enabled equipment after it has
been deemed lost or stolen by an authorized possessor .
2. The incident code “496 G” shall be used when dispatching officers to calls involving privately
owned GPS equipment. Examples of privately owned GPS equipment include cellular
telephones, electronic tablets, computers, etc.
3. Before using GPS technology to locate the lost or stolen equipment, officers should attempt to
obtain consent from the authorized possessor . The consent shall be documented in a General
Offense or Information Report; if no report is generated, the consent shall be documented in
miscellaneous comments on the call.
C. GPS ENABLED BAIT EQUIPMENT – DEPARTMENT OWNED
1. Officers deploying GPS enabled bait shall notify the Communication Center and enter the
equipment in Tech Deployments on The Hub prior to deploying th e equipment.
2. The notification and Hub entry shall include
a. The GPS tag number.
b. A description of the item used as bait , including physical description, serial numbers, other
identifying information, and the value of the item.
c. The name of the officer responsi ble for the deployment.
d. The location where the bait was deployed.
(1) If deployed on private property, consent must be given by a party responsible for that property.
(2) Consent for deployment shall be notated in a crime report if the GPS equipment was
taken and/ or recovered in a theft .
e. Any special instructions or important notes for responding field personnel.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 531.03
Page 2 of 3
f. A photograph of the bait item.
g. The location of any “clue spray” used.
3. The deploying officer shall
a. Maintain an inventory list of all property equipped with GPS and track the location where
the property was deployed in Tech Deployments on The Hub.
b. Notify the Communications Center when the GPS equipment is deployed.
c. Activate the tag in 3SI Active Robbery System .
4. Dispatchers shall monitor 3SI GPS bait equi pment deployed by the Department using the 3SI
Active Robbery System.
a. 3SI GPS bait equipment privately owned by businesses located within the City shall be
monitored utilizing the 3SI Active Robbery System.
(1) Response to privately owned 3SI GPS bait equipment should be the same as
Department owned.
(2) Once located, privately owned 3SI GPS bait equipment shall be handled consistent with
privately owned GPS equipment . Refer to section D, subsections 6 and 7.
b. Examples of businesses privately owning 3SI GPS bait equipment include banks,
pharmacies, etc.
5. Dispatchers shall dispatch officers when there is a 3SI GPS bait equipment activation. If the
GPS bait equipment is moving, d ispatchers shall continue to monitor the GPS activation and
provide updates to the responding units.
6. The Incident code “496B” shall be used when dispatching officer s to calls involving 3SI GPS
bait equipment.
7. Reports involving property not being actively tracked shall be handled as outlined in
Communications Directive 510.05 (Criteria for Dispatch ).
D. LOCATING PROPERTY EQUIPPED WITH GPS
1. Officers contacting a suspect in possession of bait equipment equipped with GPS should not
disclose to the suspect that he or she is in possession of GPS bait equipment.
2. Officers contacting a suspect in possession of bait equipment equipped with GPS shall
a. Document in a crime report how the property was located.
b. Notify dispatch that the GPS equipment was located.
c. Return the property to the deploying unit or to their designated location.
3. The field supervisor , deploying officer , or designee shall change the related Hub entry under
Tech Deployments from Active to Inactive.
4. A Comm unications Center s upervisor shall remove the GPS bait equipment from the 3 SI
Active Robbery System .
5. A Comm unications Center supervisor or deploying officer should add the Track ID from
3sitracking.com as a miscellaneous comment on the call.
6. GPS equipped property that does not belong to the Department should be field- evidence
released to the legal