NCJ Number
225546
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 35 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2008 Pages: 50,52,58
Date Published
October 2008
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article describes the challenges faced in law enforcement’s use of the new age personal locator beacon (PLB).
Abstract
The personal locator beacon (PLB) is designed for personal use and utilizes embedded location information obtained from the Nation’s network of satellites collectively known as the Global Position System (GPS). There is a good chance that PLB calls for service are in the not-to-distant future for public safety agencies and distress radio beacon alerts may soon be weaving their way into everyday police activity. However, the potential public safety impact of the PLBs is difficult to forecast. It is understood that PLBs will save lives, however the question remains as to how profound the issues of false alarms and improper use or abuse will be. If a PLB activation is indeed false or is used to report a non-life threatening incident, who is financially responsible for police responses and for wasting limited local, State, and Federal resources? What would be the impact on public safety agencies if community members could purchase pocket-sized, wireless emergency systems to transmit calls for help?