A Target Audience for Fleeing Vehicles
The Suffolk County, NY, police department is considering the purchase of the StarChase Pursuit Management System to enable officers to shoot fleeing vehicles with a sticky substance that can track vehicles.
The launcher is mounted on the hood of a patrol car, has laser-guided aim, and sends a projectile that latches onto cars and trucks and contains a GPS device for tracking the vehicle.
Made by Virginia technology innovator StarChase, the device will be tested with the Los Angeles Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol in June 2007. It will likely sell for several thousand dollars per vehicle.
The device would allow police officers on the scene to desist from chasing a fleeing vehicle, because the vehicle would be tracked through GPS satellite systems and could be intercepted elsewhere.
High-speed police chases sometimes result in traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities involving officers and innocent bystanders.
The device has a range of 20 feet, and its impact sounds like a large paintball shot by a paintball gun.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) from Newsday (05/06/07); P. A7; Lam, Chau.
