Not if the NYPD has anything to say about it, that is. They want the ability to kill cell phone communication whenever they think it is necessary.
Given the NYPD's long history of overzealous and heavy-handed tactics, including mass arrests of people not involved in anything (look at how they handled the `04 Hooverite convention), you can bet heavily that the NYPD, if they have the power to shut off cell phones, will use it whenever they think there is an emergency. Including anytime it snows more than 0.25".
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Yeah, well you can't rely on them in an emergency NOW, at least in So Cal. After my son was stabbed, the girls with him called 911 on their cells, but it took 17 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, as 911 calls from a cell are routed to CHP HQ in, I think, Bakersfield, and then assigned to the closest precint, IF the dispatcher can get that info from the caller. In my son's case, the girls didn't know the actual address (Sean's place didn't cut it) and so the delay. With sad results.
Don't know what to do about that: cell tracking is a possibility, but opens up civil rights problems.
Anyway, keep flying and writing.
John, the bad yogi
John, the bad yogi,
I *think* most current cells and providers are required to have position info. Here's a link in plain stuff:
http://www.cedmagazine.com/Article-Capital-Currents-010108.aspx
Be careful about wraparounds there.
I'm not the best guy to address the civil rights and privacy issues, but if it was my kid, well, I think I'd overlook some of that. Disposables, you want a serious menace, there ya go, on many levels, my $0.02.
As regards SoCal, spent 35 years there, 1965-2000. It sucks, hell, I moved back to Jersey.
I'm sorry about your son, if you have anyone else there you care about, encourage them to move. Anywhere. The day I realized I was done was complicated, but part of it did involve the fact that I had an unlicensed 9 under my drivers seat.
exmixer
John,
I'm so sorry about that.
EBM
Emixer and EBM: Thanks for the condolences: just over a year now. The bad guys are in custody and it looks like a trial Real Soon Now. CA v Bush/Madrigal in re: Sean P. Parmley, dec. 12/30/2007
re: position info: triangulation (TDOA, which an EMT friend says means Truly DOA) is possible but time-consuming. And GPS reporting is only possible with phones that have the capability, right? Plus they have 5 years for implementation.
As far as civil rights goes, I'm with you. What I meant was that there are CR issues around constant monitoring of cell positions. And this can get in the way of prompt police response. I don't have an answer for it.
We will eventually move from Pasadena (Sean was in W LA) probably to central OR or WA.
Thanks again, folks.
John
The Federal Communications Act gives the FCC the sole regulatory ability to manage radio communications. A local Barney Fife with the keys to a cellphone jammer is like giving him the keys to a nuke, it just ain't something that a local Barney Fife should be making decisions about. Communications are a federal issue. Says right there in the Constitution, though back when they wrote the Constitution, communications were post roads and post offices. If the CongressWimps want to give someone the power to disrupt cellular communications, give it to the FBI, under the FISA restrictions, not local largely-unmonitored Barney Fifes.
I mean, c'mon. We have video on YouTube right now of a police officer executing someone who is lying face down on the ground. You really want to give that guy the power to disrupt the communications of the witnesses to his deed?!
John,
I'm not techie enough in the cell area to know what's up right now. I use Virgin Mobile as an emergency cell, which does have the GPS stuff built-in, always on or 911 only. I don't live at the beck and call of well, anyone, call me on the landline, if you must ;-)
The constant monitoring, no answer here either. I know what's possible with the boxes we type on, that's its own nightmare.
Glad to hear you're planning on moving on from SoCal. I have friends in WA that are very pleased with making that choice.
exmixer
BadTux,
Just a tech note...disrupting cell comm doesn't prevent using the cell as a camera. Upload to the box at home, do whatever from there, done.
That said, I don't think Barney on the street has the authority or ability, nor do I trust the assholes that do [shrug].
exmixer
Post a Comment