Software Intensive GNSS-based Tracking Systems for Improving Law Enforcement

Abstract

Law enforcement agencies (LEA) constantly seek new cross-border processes and technical solutions that would facilitate their combat against international organized crime. This paper studies how new types of satellite-based tracking sensors, mobile monitoring stations and their associated communication channels for LEA can be understood and designed taking into account the chain-of-custody and monitoring-oflegality requirements. The empirical data was collected within four research projects in 2007-2014. The theoretical framework is built on the design theory of software-intensive systems. For improving law enforcement processes, the three main functions (crime investigation, chain-of-custody and monitoring-oflegality) should be considered all at once. Comprising their separate information systems will avoid triplicate workload. It also will enable multiple other benefits, such as transparency of surveillance and giving a new tool for commonly agreeing of the balance between surveillance and privacy.