Westmoreland County commissioners want to track where county vehicles are going.
That makes sense. The county owns or leases 180 vehicles. Cars, trucks, SUVs, vans – they're all designed to help county employees or elected officials deliver the services residents need.
The government is one of the largest employers in the country. In addition to the state and federal governments, Walmart, UPS and Giant Eagle are among the leading companies. All three use GPS fleet management.
But James Albert, sheriff of Westmoreland County, does not want his people to be pursued. That would be dangerous, he says.
“An attacker has the ability to learn the exact location of a deputy sheriff before an attack, thereby informing fugitives that an arrest warrant is about to be executed,” according to a lawsuit filed last week.
He worries that tracking data from the 30 vehicles assigned to his department could be used to monitor officers participating in State Police drug investigations or executing protection orders against abuse. Those are legitimate concerns. Law enforcement can be dangerous.
In the filing, Albert said the commissioners' decision abused his authority as an elected official. That seems excessive, since the commissioners exercise their authority to monitor and secure county property.
It's difficult to get confirmation on whether or not other law enforcement agencies use GPS data. While police departments and federal agencies are more open about how they use GPS as a crime-fighting tool, they're quiet about internal use — no doubt for the same reasons Albert cites.
GPS data is a problem for law enforcement, but it can also be an advantage. For example, Axon offers GPS tracking capabilities as part of body camera systems. Axon is the largest provider of body cameras for police and military personnel around the world.
However, there is another reason for using GPS in vehicles, and that reason is the same as for using body cameras: accountability.
The Westmoreland Sheriff's Department has had problems with charges against employees, including Albert's predecessor. While things seem to be better under Albert's tenure, that doesn't mean accountability steps are out of place — especially when they're implemented across the county.
Incidents like the arrests of officers in Greensburg and Ligonier Valley demonstrate that law enforcement must have daily certainty that they will be held accountable.
The 2022 crash of District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli's county-owned vehicle is another example of how all officials must remember that they are accountable to the people. Ziccarelli is also calling for her office to be exempt from surveillance.
Data security and the responsibility of those affected are two different issues. Both are important. We have to take responsibility into account because there is potential for misuse.
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