Could GPS Tracker Cut Down On Police Chases?
TUSTIN (CBSLA.com) – The Tustin Police Department is the first in Southern California to test a new high-tech GPS device designed to reduce the danger of police pursuits.
StarChase is a sticky GPS tag that officers can fire from a special compartment on the front grille of their police cruisers during a chase. The tag sticks to the back of the fleeing car and allows dispatchers to track where the suspect is and how fast they are moving in real time.
"You don't know what the suspect is gonna do," Tustin police Lt. Robert Wright told KCAL9 Thursday.
Officers deploy the tag by pressing a button on their dashboard. A laser on the launcher helps aim the GPS tag at the pursuit vehicle, according to Behind the Badge OC. Tustin police will be training all their officers on how to use the device over the coming months.
"The officer can drop back and no longer needs to continue those high speeds to chase the suspect," Wright said.
Some agencies in Oregon and Washington already use StarChase, Behind the Badge reports. Tustin police would not confirm how much StarChase will cost the department.