The device can be programmed to send automatic reports upon entering and leaving preset areas, and also operates as a cell phone to preset numbers to keep you connected. Motion sensors inside the unit conserve the battery life, which can run for days without recharging. Built-in sensors report events like sudden acceleration, impact, or tampering.

“Many personal trackers have a panic button on them to send an alert in the case of immediate danger,” says Ed Nevins, Portman Security Systems’ Senior Director. “But in the case of a suspected threat, or a situation where you’re unable to call for help, we have a Silent Alert Mode.”

With Silent Alert Mode turned on, the GT2000NP Personal Tracking Device sets the device vibrating every minute, and the user then has 60 seconds to hit a button that resets it. If the button is not pressed, a silent alert is sent out for the authorities to respond to with the tracker’s exact position. A Monitoring Mode can then be used to “listen in" on what is happening through the device – offering a truer picture of the situation than just a location could provide.

“Silent Alert Mode is something that we came up with for taxi drivers in South America, where taxis were regularly getting carjacked,” Nevins explains. “It wasn’t hard to see the other applications. In those situations where reaching for a cell phone is perceived as a threat and can put you in danger, with Silent Alert Mode it’s doing nothing that sends the alarm.”