Dutch police launch system to track banned soccer fans

Well, looks like the Dutch police were pretty happy with the results of their recent high-tech recon efforts at nabbing soccer rioters via SMS, so they've launched a computer-based system to make sure banned fans have stayed home. A computer with voice recognition software calls a random selection fans with stadium bans at their homes during matches and identifies them by voice to make sure they're not at the stadium. The calls can't be forwarded to cellphones, which makes it seem sort of odd that banned fans have to be at home during soccer matches. We're not sure what happens if they've gone on vacation… maybe best to get that VoIP phone and drag your router with you if you're liable to get called.

[Thanks, KBrew]

[Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Or, they could just have someone stay home, call them with their cell when the police call comes, and put their cell phone's speaker to the landline's mic.

Gotta love it when months of careful police planning get farked by 2 minutes of thought...

[ss4vegito7 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Or just have all calls from your Land Line foward calls to ur cell phone....... so u can pick up the call at the stadium.

What a dumb Idea this is.

[Justin France @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

"The calls can�t be forwarded to cellphones"

Guh, read it.

But yes - what a stupid, restrictive idea. This'd only be feasible if the soccor fans banne were on home arrest, otherwise it's just invasive and based on a stupid premise. Wouldn't you go to a bar or other venue to watch the match if you weren't allowed into the game?

[CyBeR @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I would call them on their cell phone and combine the voice recognition with data from the location of the phone. (You know, what GSM node they're connected to). With a few exceptions (people who actually live near the stadium, for instance), I think that would work perfectly.

[Ian Jardine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Have the Dutch Police not realised that technology such as VoIP/Simultaneous ring make their efforts out-of-date?

[Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Forget forwarding to cell phones, or taking voip routers with you. I wonder if the system will stand up against an answering machine. What do they actually check for?

[Joe Schmoe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

i guess they assume soccer fans who are crazy enough to get banned would be probably at home watching the game.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Or just don't become a soccer rioter in the first f--king place. A-duh!

Laws shouldn't be fair to criminals! Society has been on a slippery slope where victims' rights are almost non-existant and criminals get away with murder. Pun not intended.

[Sarah Brabazon-Biggar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Why not just take 'em down with tranquilizer darts and fit them out with radio collars?

[ss4vegito7 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Shinyguy didn't they ban ur Email aready?

[TedFox @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Common sense would tell you that this won't work. But if ppl are turning themselves in from the smses earlier... who's to say this won't work as well.

[Motorola 3G Victim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Too bad the Dutch never invented E911. Then they could have quietly worked with the cell phone companies to pull the aGPS on the banned fans and if they were at the stadium pin point them to their seats and go collect them. Or if they were short on staff just send out rather pointed SMS': Hello Mr. Banned Fan sitting in seat 3F, please immediately report to the security office, and please don't make us come get you.

E911, it isn't just for when you murder your wife in the passenger seat next to you, shoot yourself and then call 911 on your cell phone to build your cover story of some black kid having done it all.

[adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Please ban ShinyGuy ... He is the Jar Jar Binx of Engadget. He is a tumor that needs to be cut off. Pleeeeeeease Ban his iP, email, keywords with "I'll tel my readers". He's almost managing to ruin this amazing website. I tried to ignore him since his first appearance. I can't take it anymore !!!

[Unomi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

What I've read from a Dutch newspaper, the computer will let the banned soccer fan repeat a sentence and compare that with the already recorded voice of the person involved.

Now, that would make it really difficult if:
- You would not allow your voice being recorded, you have to volunteer for that in the first place. They have to tell you that your voice is being recorded. Then you just shut up for a long time.
- You have no home phone in the first place. Times have come people just have a cellphone and no landline connection anymore. Do they provide people with landline connections then?
- If you just deny to give them your private number.
- If you just unplug the whole set or just get your subscription canceled during that period. Are they gonna force you to stay connected?

- Unomi -

[Faruk Ates @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

The report is incomplete:

First, they have agreements with these banned (and previously arrested) soccer fans, that explain to the police where the fan will be located during the match. This can be at home, but if the fan either has no landline or wasn't planning on being at home or would be on vacation during the match, they've told the police where they are going to be, and thus the police will simply call the number that the fan has provided.

Also important to note is that these people have a COURT ORDER placed upon them. Not complying or trying to get around this is in violation with the court order, and they risk various penalties and even imprisonment by doing so (though that last and rather severe case will probably not be applied unless there's a repeated offense).