427 Automatic Vehicle Locating System (Issued 05-13-2015)FRIDLEY POLICE DATE OF ISSUE NUMBER:
GENERAL ORDER May 13, 2015 427
SUBJECT: REVISION DATE SECTION:
Automatic Vehicle Locating System Green
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for the
implementation and use of the Automatic Vehicle Locating (AVL) System. The
system is designed to increase officer safety by providing the ability to locate
personnel who have lost contact with dispatch or other officers. It is also allows for
coordination and resource management during tactical situations, assists in improving
response times to radio calls and situational awareness for all employees.
II. POLICY
The Department's AVL is a Global Positioning System (GPS) which is integrated
within the software of the Mobile Data Computer (MDC) and the Computer Aided
Dispatch (CAD) systems. AVL uses GPS data to locate and track field personnel
units through CAD mapping. AVL allows Central Communications and other
department members to easily see the real-time locations of all AVL-equipped units
on the CAD map. Knowing which units are in the vicinity of an active CAD call
enables Central Communications and supervisors to make more informed decisions.
Disciplinary action is not the focus or intended primary use of the AVL system;
however, the system data may be used as an aid in any criminal and/or administrative
investigation. The AVL data may be used as a tool in the complaint process as one
part of the fact-finding procedure. AVL may also be used as a tool in a variety of
ways including the review of critical incidents such as officer-involved accidents,
pursuits or other vehicle operations or to easily review pursuits or evaluate patrol
routes.
III. PROCEDURE
Employees will not make any attempt to disable the AVL system in any way.
Employees who are operating vehicles equipped with AVL technology may not
disable, re-configure or otherwise tamper with its settings, without authorization from
the Public Safety Director or designee. Employees experiencing difficulty using AVL
technology should report any problems to a supervisor.
Supervisory personnel have the authority to access the AVL system as a tool to
improve situational awareness, response times, analyze and improve patrol tactics,
improve officer safety, and when necessary, use as a fact-finding tool during a
complaint-driven review.
The Public Safety Director or designee may authorize random audits of field
personnel to ensure system integrity and functionality.