Locate & Message: Requirements and Best Practices

This article covers the technical details, requirements, and best practices for using Locate & Message. For an overview of what the feature does, see What is Locate & Message?

Requirements

To use Locate & Message, you'll need:

1. An Administrator or Dispatcher level user account.
2. Access to the Connect Rocket web app or mobile app.
3. A subject or bystander with a smartphone and the ability to use it.
4. Adequate network coverage for sending and receiving text messages.
5. Adequate network data coverage for rendering a web page.

Locate works with any smartphone that has onboard GPS, a data plan, and the ability to send and receive text messages. The Message feature works with any text-capable phone, smartphone or not.

How location refinement works

When a subject taps the Locate link, Connect Rocket prompts them to leave their browser open for 120 seconds. During this time, repeated attempts are made at set intervals to refine their location as the device's GPS gets a better fix.

Locate is one tool among several for establishing a subject's location. Use it alongside any other information available to you, rather than relying on it exclusively.

Best Practices

• Where possible, speak with the subject before sending the Locate request so they know what to expect.
• Once a location has been established, ask the subject to close all unnecessary applications on their device to conserve battery power.
• Practise using Locate & Message before you need it operationally, so you're familiar with the workflow on both ends of the exchange.