Woodland Hills May Improve Surveillance

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala was recently introduced to a wireless security system that tracks those on parole and probation when crossing into a prohibited area. The system, developed by Conxx of Cumberland Maryland, places antennae around a prohibited area, such as a school, so when a sex offender in the Megan's Law registry crosses its path, the school and local police are alerted. It trips the system through a tracking device a sex offender is required to wear when they do not serve their full sentence. Zappala says it can also be used for drug dealers, to keep them away from playgrounds and schools, and domestic violence cases. He says it would not be a constant monitoring system, but a system that would track those wearing devices that cross into prohibited areas. Zappala recent met with Woodland Hills school board members and police, and they think it's a good idea. An estimate for the system will be released next week, but Zappala says he does not think the system will be incredibly expensive.