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Forty-five felonies committed by four people: that’s what was discovered after a high-tech, crime-fighting device disguised as a cell phone in an unmarked car was stolen by one individual, and then another and another and another. The device? It’s called Assisted Patrol.
In this case study, led by budget-conscience police in Montgomery County earlier this year, those four thieves had a combined history of 45 felonies, many of which indicate ties to drug trafficking.
The results spoke for themselves, and the Dayton Police Department invested in a handful of Assisted Patrol devices. The devices appear to be typical smartphones, but when stolen, they track the criminals’ paths and quietly take their photographs to be used as evidence when retrieved.
A criminal's path is easily followed by using Assisted Patrol.
David Gasper, founder and CEO of the Dayton-based startup behind Assisted Patrol, appeals to taxpayers and police officers alike with his high-tech, low-cost solution to putting a surveillance bait device into the hands of repeat offenders. Part of the rapid escalation in Internet of Things (IoT) investments, Assisted Patrol is a breakthrough product in the citizen safety industry. It reduces stakeout and overtime costs by local police departments, and it’s a turnkey product that requires very little training.
Assisted Patrol participates in the Verizon Wireless Partner Program, where Verizon’s experts help get the device on a network. This program offers application experts who meet with entrepreneurs to discuss incubators, innovations and engineering around more IoT possibilities.
Gasper, who is a serial entrepreneur, has some advice for start-ups and companies getting into the IoT sector. He says, “More than ever, it’s important to pay very close attention to the behavior of your target markets. You should also ensure your technology is reliable enough for your end user. In our case, Verizon Wireless is an excellent fit because they supply our product, have the nationwide reach we need and have the best 4G [LTE] network.”
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