BERRIEN COUNTY — Early Thursday, police confirmed the body found behind a motel Wednesday night was that of Donna Mae Maximenko, 35, of Mishawaka. Police used Maximenko's cell phone to find her. Police say this shows just how crucial cell phone technology can be.

In an emergency every second counts. Since 2005, every cell phone was required to have Global Positioning System or GPS.

“You can open your cell phone go to your menu, hit GPS, and then you hit another button depending on your cell phone, and it’s going read you the coordinates of where you are," explained Michigan State Police Detective Sergeant Fabian Suarez.

GPS tracks cell phone signals that are constantly bouncing off towers.
This allows 911 dispatchers to pinpoint where a caller is located.

“It will automatically bring up the long lats, and of course with our mapping it’ll zoom in on the area,” said 911 dispatcher Lois Sherman.

While this process is quick and easy, others are not. Det. Sgt. Fabian Suarez says cell phone records often play a crucial role in finding victims and suspects.

But in most cases getting their hands on records takes time. First, they have to get a search warrant.

“Which means as an investigator you’re going to have to go see a prosecutor and then a judge is going to have to authorize that information. Then you’ve got to get that search warrant, fax it back to the phone company and then they’re going to give you the information,” said Suarez.

But, police aren’t the only ones who can track down people by using their cell phones. By signing up for certain GPS packages through the phone company, parents can also keep tabs on their kids.

“They can get online and type in their phone number and that GPS unit will tell them exactly where they are,” said Suarez.

That's technology that some view as both good and bad.

“It can good for you, it can be used against you. And as law enforcement it’s made a lot more work for us, but in other cases it’s really helped us out,” said Suarez.

If a person's cell phone is not on, GPS will not work.