Detroit Public Schools Uses Absolute Software to Help Dismantle Organized Criminal Ring

  • Dec 15, 2011

Absolute Software Corporation (Absolute), provider of firmware-embedded endpoint security and management solutions, has identified Detroit Public Schools (DPS), as a national leader in using secure asset tracking software to help recover stolen educational technology equipment.

DPS was instrumental in successfully uncovering, dismantling, and prosecuting an organized crime ring with the help of Absolute Software's Computrace technology. As a result, police informed DPS that eight of the ten suspects charged with multiple crimes from several DPS schools have pleaded guilty, with two awaiting prosecution. The total value of stolen technology was over $150,000.

"We rely heavily on Absolute Computrace and its accurate tracking technology - which helped us recover nearly 400 laptops in the past two and a half years," stated Wilbert V. Marsh, DPS Inspector General. "By knowing where these devices are, we are able to effectively enforce software policies, and protect any sensitive data if the device is lost or stolen. The persistent technology of Absolute Computrace allows it to rebuild itself and continue to operate even if a thief attempted to remove it from the computer. This reassures law enforcement that the tool will always be active. With our extremely high success rate, we will continue using this tracking tool."

"The mobility of laptops within a school district definitely raises security and management issues for IT administrators," says Ward Clapham, Vice President of Investigative and Recovery Services at Absolute. "Absolute Computrace equips IT and law enforcement with the right tracking tools to gain full visibility into their IT environment, including the whereabouts and status of their computers."

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