| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 8:10:53 AM | USA Today
Met Police officers to be 'microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother style tracking scheme
Last updated at 10:46am on 10th April 2008
Sir Ian Blair
Met Chief Sir Ian Blair could be among 31,000 officers to receive the new electronic tracking device
Every single Metropolitan police officer will be 'microchipped' so top brass can monitor their movements on a Big Brother style tracking scheme, it can be revealed today.
According to respected industry magazine Police Review, the plan - which affects all 31,000 serving officers in the Met, including Sir Ian Blair - is set to replace the unreliable Airwave radio system currently used to help monitor officer's movements.
The new electronic tracking device - called the Automated Personal Location System (APLS) - means that officers will never be out of range of supervising officers.
But many serving officers fear being turned into "Robocops" - controlled by bosses who have not been out on the beat in years.
According to service providers Telent, the new technology 'will enable operators in the Service's operations centres to identify the location of each police officer' at any time they are on duty - whether overground or underground.
Although police chiefs say the new technology is about 'improving officer safety' and reacting to incidents more quickly, many rank and file believe it is just a Big Brother style system to keep tabs on them and make sure they don't 'doze off on duty'.
Some officers are concerned that the system - which will be able to pinpoint any of the 31,000 officers in the Met to within a few feet of their location - will put a complete end to community policing and leave officers purely at the beck and call of control room staff rather than reacting to members of the public on the ground.
Pete Smyth, chairman of the Met Police Federation, said: "This could be very good for officers' safety but it could also involve an element of Big Brother.
"We need to look at it very carefully."
Other officers, however, were more scathing, saying the new system - set to be implemented within the next few weeks - will turn them into 'Robocops' simply obeying instructions from above rather than using their own judgement.
One officer, working in Peckham, south London, said: "They are keeping the exact workings of the system very hush-hush at the moment - although it will be similar to the way criminals are electronically tagged. There will not be any choice about wearing one.
"We depend on our own ability and local knowledge to react to situations accordingly.
"Obviously we need the back up and information from control, but a lot of us feel that we will simply be used as machines, or robots, to do what we are told with little or no chance to put in anything ourselves."
He added: "Most of us joined up so we could apply the law and think for ourselves, but if Sarge knows where we are every second of the day it just makes it difficult."
Another officer, who did not want to be named, said: "A lot of my time is spent speaking to people in cafes, parks or just wherever I'm approached. If I feel I've got my chief breathing down my neck to make another arrest I won't feel I'm doing my job properly."
The system is one of the largest of its kind in the world, according to Telent, the company behind the technology, although neither the Met nor Telent would provide Police Review with any more information about exactly how the system will work or what sort of devices officers will wear.
Nigel Lee, a workstream manager at the Met, said: "Safety is a primary concern for all police forces.
"The area served by our force covers 620 miles and knowing the location of our officers means that not only can we provision resource more quickly, but should an officer need assistance, we can get to them even more quickly."
Forces currently have the facility to track all their officers through GPS devices on their Airwave radio headsets, but this is subject to headsets being up to date and forces buying the back office systems to accompany them, according to Airwave.
Steve Rands, health and safety head for the Met Police Federation, told Police Review: "This is so that we know where officers are. Let us say that when voice distortion or sound quality over the radio is lost, if you cannot hear where that officer telling you where he is, you can still pinpoint his exact position by global positioning system.
"If he needs help but you cannot hear him for whatever reason, APLS will say where he is."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=558597&in_page_id=1770 | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 8:53:59 AM | | This sounds like a great example of technology being used to make policing services more safe, effective and transparent. It is natural for people to feel apprehensive about new methods and technologies, and there will probably be a few hiccups as it is implemented, but ten years from now, they'll probably wonder how they got by without it. | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 10:10:37 AM | I promise this is not a gun control fueled comment but bad guys have guns that are obtained by bypassing all the existing laws.
See the picture here..........?
What keeps the technically savvy bad guy from having the same technology and then also knowing where every officer of the law is?Something like a radar detector but one that will certainly allow more cops to be killed.
And yes,law abiding,gun carrying citizen won't be the responsible parties here......bad guys!!
Nigel Lee, a workstream manager at the Met, said: "Safety is a primary concern for all police forces.
Let him wear one and see how safe he feels.^^Moron^^
and there will probably be a few hiccups as it is implemented, but ten years from now, they'll probably wonder how they got by without it.
Read this as a few [hundred] Officer Fatalities | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 10:29:18 AM |
Posted By: h0ldfast on 4/13/2008 10  59 AM Subject: 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother Message: This sounds like a great example of technology being used to make policing services more safe, effective and transparent. It is natural for people to feel apprehensive about new methods and technologies, and there will probably be a few hiccups as it is implemented, but ten years from now, they'll probably wonder how they got by without it.
ROTFL Ok, if you say so. In the very least its a invasion of privacy. Theres no reason that a person should be chipped. IF these yo-yo's want to have monitoring devices on their officers, then implement it in their uniform or hardware, not in their person.
That way a officer or anyone else can remove said device and park it whenever they wish to not be monitored 24 x7 | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 11:57:51 AM |
What keeps the technically savvy bad guy from having the same technology and then also knowing where every officer of the law is?
I bet they said the same thing when they introduced police radios. The fact is, a well organized, highly trained, technologically savvy organization can find ways to exploit weaknesses in any system. However, your average street punk isn't a PhD in cryptology.
Anyway, it's more likely that criminals would use this information to avoid the police when committing crimes. If they really want to find cops, they don't need new hardware to do it. They just have to look for uniforms, police cars, police stations, doughnut shops ...
invasion of privacy
No, it's not. A police officer, while on duty, is accountable for his or her location and actions, according to plans and instructions from their superiors. It isn't just a bunch of guys wandering around anywhere they feel like.
implement it in their uniform or hardware, not in their person
APLS is a microphone worn on the shirt lapel of a user, with an embedded GPS antenna capable of working in close proximity to the body. When off duty, police officers don't wear them.
Here's a story about a situation where the device came in handy. As the system is fully deployed, there will probably be a lot more similar stories.
http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/v3/news/billboard/2008/february/billboard19_p03.pdf | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 12:16:21 PM | A bad idea.
I say we put such a chip into all our politicians, so we can track where they've been - for their own safety. 
An off duty officer doesn't need to be located, and while on duty he should have the proper equipment to do so even now.
The only chips around British police officers should be with their fish, at lunch.
Goodbye , Mr Chips.  | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 4:08:36 PM | Do you think USA and Canada are watching to see what's going to happen next?
I'll assume this is just paving the way for sheeple to follow. Afterall, the cops are the good guys (right?) and if they do it I'm sure there will be plenty of confused citizens willing to stand in line for one too. Good way to get people use to the idea of being trackable.
Pandora's box has been opened and it's nazi experiment time!
They could implant this where the sun doesn't shine. Then they could track it down whatever sewer pipe takes it away.
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 5:05:12 PM |
This sounds like a great example of technology being used to make policing services more safe, effective and transparent. It is natural for people to feel apprehensive about new methods and technologies, and there will probably be a few hiccups as it is implemented, but ten years from now, they'll probably wonder how they got by without it.
LOL
yes , why not micro-chip all of society to become more "safe , effective , and transparent" ?
We will just have to trust that our "monitors" don't take advantage of us.
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/13/2008 9:18:06 PM |
What keeps the technically savvy bad guy from having the same technology and then also knowing where every officer of the law is?Something like a radar detector but one that will certainly allow more cops to be killed. Uhhh...You do know that you can find a shop that will "chip" your mobile and allow you to unlock it, and replace the SIM, just about anywhere in the UK, don't you?
If you've locked your phone yourself, like if you've put your phone lock on, forgot your PIN like I did, and entered it wrong 3 times, and had it lock on you, that you can just ring the manufacturer and with the serial # on the box, they will give you the special code to unlock. So this "chipping" service is completely unnecessary, only helps you if you've STOLEN the mobile phone, and that it's not that easy to do, and it's available right across the UK, and the police don't close ANY of those shops down.
Further, you do realise that most Internet Cafes in the UK have programs installed to store your every keystroke and mouse click, and the police do nothing about them, don't you?
They certainly don't arrest people with police scanners, police radios, and the like. They haven't arrested anyone with that type of technology unless they were left with no choice.
Whatever makes you think that this technology is not yet available in the UK RIGHT NOW?
Whatever makes you think that the coppers are going to arrest anyone who has this technology?
I know you come from the US, not the UK. But if you lived here, you wouldn't be surprised if a criminal got hold of the technology to track every copper in 50 miles, so he could pull any job in London and never get arrested. You'd be surprised if he didn't have it.
Here's a story about a situation where the device came in handy. As the system is fully deployed, there will probably be a lot more similar stories.
http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/v3/news/billboard/2008/february/billboard19_p03.pdf That is in Cornwall. The COUNTRY. The PC was in the fields. You NEED APLS in the countryside, because there are far fewer officers and much land to cover, and it's mostly fields. Mobiles don't even work in some parts of the countryside, and radios probably won't carry that far either.
But this is for the Met. London Police Officers. Where they can be found by their radio.
They can even be found by their mobile phones, because parents are now able to buy their kids mobiles that will tell the parents exactly where they are, by GPS. Let's face it. If you're a copper in London, you don't want to call for backup and find your radio is on the fritz. So I would expect that 99% of officers always carry a mobile, just in case.
Either way, it's unnecessary for Met. Officers, and necessary for police in the countryside. But this is being given to the Met.
Anyway, it's more likely that criminals would use this information to avoid the police when committing crimes. If they really want to find cops, they don't need new hardware to do it. They just have to look for uniforms, police cars, police stations, doughnut shops ... Our officers don't look like Chief Wiggum. I don't know how your police got into Coffee and Doughnuts, but they don't do it here. In the UK, they are known for other things, like when a violent fight happens, to suddenly disappear, to reappear only once the fight is over and the thugs have left, and to cart off the victims. Not all coppers are like this by any means. But it has happened often enough that Brits consider it normal.
I say we put such a chip into all our politicians, so we can track where they've been - for their own safety.
An off duty officer doesn't need to be located, and while on duty he should have the proper equipment to do so even now.
The only chips around British police officers should be with their fish, at lunch. A brilliant post, on ALL counts, Montreal_Guy. I would also recommend a device that picks up if the wearer is taking hard drugs. Wait, that would eliminate a LOT of politicians from the parties. What a bonus! | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/15/2008 5:45:10 PM | ^^^^^^
Hitler would have found this incredibly useful!
Gotta agree re the abilities of our criminals to use the technology. London attracts the brightest criminals on a global scale, to ensure the latest technological advancements can be enjoyed by ALL sections of society. It'll be lower cost to the criminals than it will be to law enforcement services within 6 months of initial issue.
At best all this would do is save criminals having to pay for "look outs" while robbing people and properties, at worst it's the beginning of the end for any kind of personal freedom or reasonable quality of life for decent law abiding citizens. | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/16/2008 5:21:08 AM | This Big Brother nonsense is ridiculous...
They've got a similar system in the police vehicles in the city in which I live. If an officer comes within a certain number of miles from their residence... a superviser is notified. If an officer wanders out of their beat or into another city, a supervisor is notified. If their vehicle sits in one place for too long... a supervisor is notified. If they call in a certain location... and they are not really there... the computer knows and shows their true locations, the dispatcher notifies a supervisor.
It prevents police from taking unauthorized breaks and trips home... and also restricts and tracks their movements so that they can't issue you a ticket in another city and write a different location on the ticket. If a cop writes you a ticket and they put a different time, date, or location on there... computer records will help your case if you claim a cop wrote you a ticket outside of their own city.
Here's a good example of where it's needed:
The police in a neighboring city all sit on the upper deck of the parking garage at the local mall all night long... only venturing off the upper deck if they get a call. I've often thought to myself that I could make a bit of money by bringing a grill up there and selling them burgers and hot dogs. If their department had this system, those guys wouldn't be allowed to snoose or chat all night up there; they'd actually have to do their beat-patrols. If they just did their patrols, maybe the area around the mall wouldn't be like a friggin DMZ all the time. I can't tell you how many gang-fights and other problems I and my co-workers had to deal with from the punks who lived in the neighborhoods across the street coming to the mall at all hours specifically to start trouble, fights, steal, deal drugs, graffitti or break things.
If those cops were doing their jobs... instead of chatting when and where they can.... there'd be less local crime.
--Brandon | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/16/2008 6:05:40 AM | I like the idea of chipping an external object such as a ring, necklace whatever can be thought of, as opposed to an internal chipping.
Many benefits to an officer having proper location set up in regards to backup etc... also might limit the amount of dirty cops out there. I went to highschool with a few that deal drugs etc... they are narco cops and I've found out they have done some serious bad stuff.
But I think this is a bad precedence as it's one step closer to us all being chipped, which is what the New World Order weirdos want to do to us. Living in thier two teired justice system. | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/16/2008 6:08:56 AM | They've got a similar system in the police vehicles in the city in which I live. If an officer comes within a certain number of miles from their residence... a superviser is notified. If an officer wanders out of their beat or into another city, a supervisor is notified. If their vehicle sits in one place for too long... a supervisor is notified. If they call in a certain location... and they are not really there... the computer knows and shows their true locations, the dispatcher notifies a supervisor.
You know about this, but their supervisors DON'T ? That's what they get paid to do.
A tracking device in their car, or on a piece of equipment, I have no problem at all with.
Something inserted into their bodies, without their expressed consent ?
No.
The line stops here. | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/16/2008 7:29:14 AM | I know you come from the US, not the UK. But if you lived here, you wouldn't be surprised if a criminal got hold of the technology to track every copper in 50 miles, so he could pull any job in London and never get arrested. You'd be surprised if he didn't have it.
Do all residents of the UK fail to recognize rhetorical sarcasm??
I know using all upper case letters equals the effect of yelling and I guess I would like to know if there is a way to type in "sarcastic" as well.
Our officers don't look like Chief Wiggum. I don't know how your police got into Coffee and Doughnuts, but they don't do it here. In the UK, they are known for other things, like when a violent fight happens, to suddenly disappear, to reappear only once the fight is over and the thugs have left, and to cart off the victims. Not all coppers are like this by any means. But it has happened often enough that Brits consider it normal.
Are the allowed to be armed yet?{sarcastic question} | |
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| 'Microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother
Posted: 4/19/2008 10:54:14 AM | | just another electronic device, to add to the already unhealthy , polluting pile of hi- tech gizmos that we have all been brain- washed into needing. What's next??With all our electronic gadjets, and gizmos.....It almost makes me feel , my brain is obsolete!! and yours' also. Robosociety......scary thought, but actually real, no longer science- fiction. | |
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