INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Dangerous high-speed police chases could be a thing of the past in Independence.
The Independence Police Department now has a tool it hopes can end chases safely and with more success.
StarChase allows officers to launch a GPS unit onto the fleeing vehicle. It helps police keep track of the vehicle’s location from a safe distance.
“The idea is they are no longer being followed. They are no longer being chased by police, so they don’t see the lights and sirens,” said John Syme of the Independence Police Department. “The adrenaline goes away from the situation, so they are less likely to make erratic moves. They are more likely to pull over.”
The Independence Police Department is the first in the Kansas City area to use the GPS device to apprehend suspects.
Police said they’re excited about the new technology and reminds the public that officers are there to serve.
“We know it’s our job as police officers to catch the bad guy. That’s what we do,” Syme said. “This just helps us do that more effectively and safer.”
Independence police aren’t saying how many cars have the StarChase technology or how many times it’s failed. Police stand by their pursuit policy and said this is an additional tool to catch suspects.
Watch the video here.
About StarChase Pursuit Management Technology
StarChase LLC is a company specializing in tagging and tracking pursuit management solutions for the law enforcement sector. The privately held company is based in Virginia Beach, Va., and has been in operation since 2001. The StarChase products are patent protected in several countries, including the United States.