Amsterdam tests GPS device that warns victims when suspects are nearby

Amsterdam has been participating since May 1 in a pilot scheme using a “Slachtofferdevice,” a GPS tracker connected to a suspect’s or offender’s ankle bracelet. If the suspect comes within a set distance of the victim, probation services receive an alert so protective steps can be taken. The system also includes an emergency function that allows the police to be contacted directly.

The pilot was announced in a letter to the city council from Mayor Femke Halsema and aldermen Alexander Scholtes, responsible for urban development, and Elise Moeskops, responsible for public space. It forms part of a broader package of measures to improve women's safety that the municipal executive promised after the murder of 17-year-old Lisa from Abcoude. The city has allocated 6 million euros to fund the initiative.

The measures also include improved guidance for victims on their legal rights and access to legal support. The city will also increase surveillance and upgrade lighting around sports facilities to make it safer for women and girls to travel to and from sports clubs.

The city will also organize discussions for men and boys in neighborhoods across Amsterdam on preventing violence against women. At festivals, professionals will staff a mobile outreach booth where they will engage male visitors in conversations about recognizing and stepping in to stop sexually inappropriate or non-consensual behavior.

The city said Amsterdam police are undergoing additional training to better identify domestic violence, stalking, femicide, and their warning signs. The Public Prosecution Service will also give these cases greater priority, allowing them to be brought before the courts more quickly, according to the municipal executive.