BluTag User’s Guide Version 8.
Blutag: FCC ID S5EAA700008 For body worn operation this tracking device has been tested and meets the FCC RF exposure guidelines The highest reported SAR value is: 0.709 W/kg GSM850 and 0.967 W/Kg GSM1900. Eighth Edition, Amendment 1 (November 2005) VeriTracks™, BluTag® and various software icons are worldwide registered trademarks of Satellite Tracking of People LLC (STOP). The software described herein has U.S. and Foreign Patents Pending.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Table of Contents Chapter 1: About VeriTracks™ and BluTag® .....................................................................1 BluTag® ..........................................................................................................................................2 Summary of BluTag® Specifications: ...................................................................................2 About this document .................................................................
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Review ...............................................................................................................................................28 Chapter 5: Event Control .......................................................................................................29 Setting up a schedule .................................................................................................................29 Deleting a schedule..........................................
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 10: Using VeriTracks™ to Solve Crimes ..............................................................54 The Crime Hit Report .......................................................................................................................54 How to use the hit report ............................................................................................................54 Other methods and tools for crime solving ...................................................
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Map Toolbar .................................................................................................................................78 Best Practices When Working With Maps ...............................................................................81 Appendix 5: Agency Administration.............................................................................................82 User Accounts...............................................................................
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 1: ABOUT VERITRACKS™ AND BLUTAG® VeriTracks™ is an innovative public safety tool developed by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems and offered exclusively by Satellite Tracking of People (STOP) LLC. VeriTracks™ employs a combination of data integration, geomapping, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology to effectively remove the “anonymity” of non-incarcerated offenders under the supervision of local, state or federal criminal justice agencies.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 2. The tag data is collected and stored on the VeriTracks™ central server. 3. Crime incident data from local law enforcement agencies is collected and integrated with offender location data. 4. The “hit” engine determines correlation between offender location and the location of crime incidents to determine if the offender was in the vicinity of the crime when it occurred. 5.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual About this document This User’s Manual describes the use of the VeriTracks™ software and the BluTag® equipment. It will enable you to maximize the value of the program's special features by showing tips and techniques where appropriate. For easier reading, look for the following conventions in this document: "Select" refers to selecting an option from the screen with your mouse. "Enter" refers to entering text or data into a field using the keyboard.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 2: GETTING STARTED Because VeriTracks™ is Internet-based, you need a 128-bit encrypted browser, such as MS Internet Explorer® 5.5 or higher. If your browser does not have sufficient encryption capability, a message will appear and you will be directed to a site where an upgraded browser can be downloaded. For further assistance, contact our technical support personnel 866-999-6427 toll free.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Logging In 1. To get started, open up your MS Internet Explorer® browser. 2. In the address line on the Home Page, enter the following address using your state name in the space before .veritracks: https:// .veritracks.com 3. You will be asked to accept the Security Certificate pictured to the right. After you accept, you will be brought to the login screen for VeriTracks. 4. To login, you will need to enter the User Name and Password assigned to you. 5.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Understanding Main Menu Options The VeriTracks™ home page consists of a Menu Bar and the Display Area in the center of the page. The Menu Bar is accessible from every VeriTracks™ web page, while the Display Area changes to reflect the selected VeriTracks™ function. This is the VeriTracks™ Main Menu, accessible from all pages. The VeriTracks™ Menu Bar is divided into five sections: 1.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 4. The Map link allows you to map an address or to retrieve previously mapped addresses. The map data entry box drops down when you move your mouse over the Map link. 5. The Logout link logs you out of VeriTracks™. If you close your browser you will automatically time out your session. On some of drop down menu items you will see small lock symbols next to the item name. The lock means you do not have access to this menu item.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 5. Drop Down List Boxes – The drop down list boxes allow you to type information directly into the box, search the list or pick one item off a list that drops down. In these fields, you cannot select multiple values. 6. Buttons – All Search Pages have TEXT, MAP, and RESET buttons. TEXT will produce a text report of the data you queried. MAP will produce a map of the Incident or Tracks you queried. RESET will clear your query and let you start over.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 3: OFFENDER REGISTERING AN In this Chapter you will learn how to: - Register an offender and install the tag - Un-enroll an offender and remove the tag - Store and care for tags - Swap out a tag if it is damaged or needs maintenance Registering an Offender To start using the VeriTracks™ system, you need to register your agency’s offenders in the system and activate the BluTag® assigned to a specific offender. The recommended registration process is as follows: 1.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual has spent significant time indoors with no GPS whatsoever it may need to do this as well. 5. Verify Tag Operations - After at least 2 hours of charging, verify the BluTag® is communicating and has GPS. We recommend verifying that the tag received a GPS fix within the last 30 minutes and called during the previous hour prior to installing it on an offender. The tag still needs a full four-hour charge. Follow the instructions below to verify the tags readiness. a.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Table Columns: Call in Date: The date/time the unit last called into the server GPS Date: The date/time of a successful GPS fix. Positions: The latitude and longitude of a successful GPS fix. If the tag is not calling, indicated by no calls from the tag in the past hour, use these techniques to activate the tag’s calling into VeriTracks™.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual – Place the tag in the open with a full view of the sky - A car window is a good option – Take the tag for a walk or drive Remember it may take a tag 20 to 60 minutes to acquire a GPS fix if the tag has been in storage or shipped a long distance. Tags ship from our Reston, Virginia office in the Washington, DC metro area. If you cannot rectify either condition, use a different tag and return the tag to STOP LLC.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual opposite side of the tag. Note: The ends of the clips must align with the ends of the strap – as shown in photo below. Correct alignment – end of strap and clips are flush. Incorrect alignment – end of strap and clips are not flush. 4. Check the fit. Once you have the strap attached, check the fit of the tag. The tag should be tight to prevent it from banging against the ankle. No more than two fingers should fit between the strap and the ankle. 5. Press the Status Call Button.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 3. Fill in Profile and Address tabs. These tabs capture data about the offender. Complete the information on these tabs as described in Appendix 1. 4. Assign the tag to the offender. When you first access this tab you will see the status of the tag. For a new enrollment the status fields will be blank. Click on the Modify Device Assigned link to assign a device to a new offender or to modify a currently assigned device (see instructions for swapping a tag later in this chapter.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 5. Assign Zones. See Chapter 4 6. Set up event controls. See Chapter 5 7. Complete the final verification of the install. To verify that the tag is properly installed. Go to the Supervision => Offender Status screen. Verify that the tag has called in (Last Contact) since it has been installed and no open events are listed.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Instructions to offenders: These procedures are the minimum instructions that should be given to all offenders. Don’t strike or try to open the tag. Avoid prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. Do not force a boot over the tag. Charge the tag twice a day, once every 12 hours until the light turns green. Charging should take less than 30 minutes. When charging the tag, the lights should be orange and green. If the Red light comes on and stays on call your supervising officer.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 4. In addition to confirming that you want to un-enroll an offender, you can select a reason for the un-enrollment. For agencies that do not want to use this functionality, the “None” option is automatically selected. Note: This functionality is also implemented on the Tracking Device tab of Offender Enrollment. Here a drop down list is activated when a tag is swapped (see Changing a Tag on an Offender).
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Notes on un-enrollment: A. When you un-enroll the offender, VeriTracks™ orders the tag into a deep sleep. The deep sleep command will turn the tag off indefinitely. B. Attaching the charging coupler is the only way to activate the BluTag®. The BluTag® will wake up and enter its normal Wake / Sleep cycle currently defaulted to 60 minutes on and 1 minute off C.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Note: Under Enrollment, on the Tracking Device tab, the labeled ‘Device Assignment History’ displays a list of the devices assigned to an offender. The Device Assignment History Report lists the period of time a device was assigned to an offender, as well as the reason it was removed from the offender. Storing and Maintaining BluTag® 1. Unused tags should be stored in a secure, dry space.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 2. Tags do not require charging while in storage. 3. Prior to re-enrolling a tag, follow the instructions for preparing a tag for use, registering an offender, and enrolling an offender.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Review How To… Register an offender: Prepare the BluTag® for use Install the BluTag® on the offender Enroll the new offender in VeriTracks™ Complete the appropriate paperwork for the enrollment How To… Un-Enroll an offender in VeriTracks™ Un-enroll the offender in VeriTracks™ and remove the tag by cutting the strap. Complete any paperwork with the offender.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 4: ZONES In this Chapter you will learn how to: - Create a zone and assign it to an offender. - Verifying a zone assignment. - Edit a zone. - Un-assign a zone. - Expire a zone Zones are a useful way to better track offender movements. A Zone defines a geographic location that an offender must be in (Inclusion Zone) or prohibited from (Exclusion Zone) entering at prescheduled times. You receive notification when an offender violates an assigned zone.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 1) Based on an address. 2) Directly on the map. Create a zone based on an address The following are the steps necessary to create a zone based on an address: 1. Mouse over either the Supervision or the Administration menu options and select Zone. You can create a new zone or select one that you have previously created. 2. Click on Add New Zone. 3. Complete the Zone Entry fields as follows: Zone Name Name your zone. Be sure to use a specific name that is meaningful to you.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual calendar pop-up for the zone. Schedule The zone will be effective during specific times. Set-up the zone schedule from here by selecting times for each day. Select everything when the zone applies all the time, or use the smart select to specify periods of time across each day. Reset/Add Select the Reset button to start your zone entry again. Select the Add button to add the new zone.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual are not available to all agencies or may incur an additional, per-event charge. o Active zones are assigned to and monitored on a 24 hour/7 day-aweek, active basis within the device itself. Unlike 911 zones, the notification is sent to the probation officer but the monitoring center does not automatically follow up. Notifications for Active Zone violations can be set up to your preferences and sent out for immediate response.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Verifying a zone assignment After a zone is set up you should verify that the zone is assigned to the correct offender and in the correct location. Verify the zone is assigned to the offender To verify the zone is assigned to the correct offender search for the offender, Supervision => Search.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Verify the zone is in the proper place The most effective way to verify the location of a zone is to view it by mapping it in the from the Zone report. Select the (1) check box on the Zone report and (2) hit the globe. For inclusion zones you may also want to map the zone after the first night the offender has gone home to verify the offenders points are in the correct place. If the zone is incorrectly mapped you can edit the location of the zone.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Edit the Zone Entry fields as desired. Because the zone location and size were already redefined they do not need editing. Make sure you update the zone to save your changes. Then reassign the zone to all offenders who were assigned to it before the edit. Un-assign a zone To un-assign a zone, select Modify Zones Assigned. This brings up a screen like the one below. Click on the zone name you want to remove by pressing the out arrow button next to the type of zone.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 5: EVENT CONTROL In this Chapter you will learn how to: - Set up a schedule for controlling events. - Edit a schedule. - Delete a schedule. Event control allows you to select time periods where events and the associated notifications are reported. While this functionality works for the BluTag, it is designed primarily for the CellTag. During the selected time periods any event (Bracelet gone, etc) will be reported by the system.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Deleting a schedule Select “Deactivate all Event Control Schedules” to clear the schedule.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 6: EVENTS AND NOTIFICATIONS This chapter covers: • BluTag® Events. • Immediate Notifications. • The Daily Summary Report Notification. To supervise an offender you need to have the important and time-critical information delivered to you (any where). The most frequently used tools for monitoring offenders are events and notifications. BluTag® and VeriTracks™ can be used to detect violations of program rules and release conditions.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual BluTag® Events The BluTag® and VeriTracks™ generate the following events: BRACELET STRAP BRACELET STRAP CLEAR ON CHARGER OFF CHARGER LOW BATTERY ALARM LOW BATTERY ALARM CLEAR MESSAGE GAP MESSAGE GAP CLEAR CELL ID CHANGE CELL ID CLEAR EXCLUSION ALARM EXCLUSION CLEAR INCLUSION ALARM INCLUSION CLEAR SILENT EXCLUSION ALARM SILENT EXCLUSION ALARM CLEAR SILENT INCLUSION ALARM SILENT INCLUSION ALARM CLEAR 911 EXCLUSION ALARM 911 EXCLUSION ALARM CLEAR 911 INCLUSION ALARM 911 INCLUSION ALA
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual officers, one for law enforcement officers, and one for administrators. The purpose of the daily summary report is to summarize the previous day’s important events and focus the attention of officers on current and emerging offender problems. To set up your notification preferences see Chapter 7 under Preferences. Event Driven Notifications The events you can receive notifications on are listed below.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual 911 EXCLUSION ALARM 911 EXCLUSION ALARM CLEAR 911 INCLUSION ALARM 911 INCLUSION ALARM CLEAR +E911 -E911 +I911 -I911 The Corrections Officer Summary Report The Corrections Officer Summary Report outlines the activities of each supervised offender. It lists any events (technical violations, equipment status changes), Zone Violations and crime incident hits that have occurred in the last 24 hours or that are still open.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Hyper link to map of offenders tracks for the day Technical Violations related to equipment Leaves/enters Tampers Zone Violations Correlation with crimes reports Display the results in text reports The link in the Offender Summary report links to the offender report, shown below and described in Appendix 3, Reports.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual From the basic report you can: • Show the records in a table, the results can be sorted by the columns displayed. • See the zones assigned to this offender. Click on the Offender Detail Link • In certain jurisdictions, you can link to detailed demographic or criminal history date on the offender using the Detailed DC Report link. • Drill down to see Offender Details like violations, hits, and status changes for the offender during the selected time period.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Select one of the different options to change the data displayed: Violations, Device Summary, Incident hits, or Zone Hits. a. Violation: The Violation Event Summary details if the offender had any device violations during the specified period of time. It lists the Violation Date/Time, Violation Cleared, the Violation code, and the Duration that the violation occurred. These violations include, but are not limited to, “Bracelet Gone,” “Bracelet Strap,” and “Motion No GPS.” b.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Map one or more offender tracks • Check the box in the upper right corner to select records. • Click on the globe icon to map the records.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual Chapter 7: OFFENDER SUPERVISING AN This chapter covers the tools you will use to supervise an offender. • The offender status tool provides a quick snap shot of the offender’s current location and status. • The Search Screen locates an offender’s history, including reports and maps that show where he/she has been. • Mapping tools analyze where an offender has been and what he/she has been doing.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual About the Offender Status Tabs The Offender Status option provides you with a set of tabs that give an immediate status of the selected offender. The three tabbed screens highlight location, events, and offender device history for the selected offender. As shown below the main tab is Status – the information block shows the offender’s name and the device number.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual NOTE: The information provided in the Offender Status report is current as of the last call by the tag. (When events occur, officers are notified by email. It is possible that between the time a notification is received and the time an officer checks in with VeriTracks™, the event may have cleared.) To refresh the data on the offender status pages, select the offender from the drop down list again. The other tabs are the violation tab and the Device Assignment tab.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual About the Search Pages To review an offender’s data on the shared pages (pages accessed by other agencies) or to quickly review your entire case load use the Search submenu and pages. You may also use the search screen to view historic data that is older than 24 hours. The search screen is designed around text-based query screens that allow the user to create a custom query and generate the needed report.
VeriTracks™ User’s Manual • Drill down to see OFFENDER DETAILS like violations, hits, and status changes for the offender during the selected time period. Click on the Offender Detail Link. • Map the offender’s movements. Using Mapping tools and procedures There are a number of tools and procedures for analyzing an offender’s tracks on a map. The following four procedures describe different ways to understand and interpret the mapped location data.
