From 1010WINS:New York City will track its hundreds of building inspectors with GPS technology to make sure they are actually doing the inspections they report, the Department of Buildings said Friday.
The new scrutiny comes after an inspector was charged last year with faking a report that he had inspected a crane days before it collapsed and killed seven people.
Electrical, construction, elevator, crane and other inspectors will now have GPS tracking on their mobile phones so that department heads can follow their movements in real time through a web-based program.
Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri said the system will "ensure inspectors reach their assigned locations and are held accountable for their important work."
7 comments:
GPS tracking for all city workers whose jobs take them out in the field sounds like a good idea
Big Brother is Coming!! And not a moment too soon.
So now they will just sit in their car outside the site they are supposed to be inspecting, and do the paperwork in their car. I suppose that is progress, at least they will be at the site.
The City has recently employed auditors to go out in the field and begin checking that inspectors are actually doing inspections and citing violations. Same for FDNY field inspections, which search for major fire code violations. (FYI, FDNY units have had GPS for over 2 years now.)
All of which begs the argument: does it make more sense to hire auditors, or to hire more DOB inspectors?
Can it track them to the top of the roofs where the building owners are quietly handing them their envelopes?
A good first step.
Spot check polygraph test them too!
GPS tracking won't let you know if they're taking any bribes.
GPS, as in ankle bracelets?
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