A third person already this year has cut his court-ordered electronic monitoring device and fled detection by Charlotte police. Anthony McCreary was released prior to his trial on charges of assault and weapons charges and ordered to wear the electronic monitoring device as a condition of his pretrial release. The first two who cut their ankle bracelets have been caught; police are still looking for McCreary.
Electronic monitoring, according to the Charlotte Police Department, is used to ensure that a person accused of certain crimes will show up for his or her scheduled court dates without having to keep that person in jail until trial. Electronic monitoring bracelets may also be used as a condition of probation or supervision after a criminal conviction.
The devices are small, but bulky, black boxes that are strapped to an individual’s ankle. The device allows the electronic monitoring unit at the CMPD to track an individual’s location using GPS technology.
Those who most often are required to wear electronic monitoring ankle bracelets are individuals accused or convicted of:
- Burglary
- Robbery
- Stealing cars
- Felony assault
Along with wearing the tracking bracelet, sentences or pre-trial release restrictions that include the use of an ankle bracelet will include restrictions on how late a person can be outside his or her home and how far away he or she can travel from the Charlotte area.
Source: WCNC, “Man on the run after cutting off electronic monitoring device,” February 19, 2013