Police chases can go wrong fast.
High-speed pursuits often put officers, suspects, and innocent drivers at serious risk.
Now, law enforcement in New York is trying something that feels straight out of a spy movie.
And it could dramatically reduce dangerous police chases.
Police Are Now Shooting GPS Darts At Cars
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has introduced a new tracking system called Starchase.
The system fires a GPS-equipped dart that sticks directly to a fleeing vehicle.
Once attached, officers can track the vehicle’s location in real time.
That means they may no longer need to engage in dangerous high-speed pursuits.
How The System Works
The GPS dart is launched from a police vehicle.
It sticks to the suspect’s vehicle using adhesive material.
Once the tracker is attached, officers can back off and monitor the suspect remotely.
According to Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr., officers can continue tracking the vehicle through GPS instead of chasing it through traffic.
Officers Can Even Fire It Remotely
One of the more surprising features is that officers don’t always need to be inside the patrol car.
The device can also be deployed remotely.
Officials say that’s important because some suspects intentionally wait until officers exit their vehicles before trying to flee.
This gives deputies another tool when suspects attempt sudden escapes.
It’s Already Being Used
The sheriff’s office says the system has already been active for several weeks.
Officials believe it could be especially useful during the summer months when drunk driving incidents typically rise.
Rather than turning roadways into dangerous chase scenes, police hope this technology helps them safely track suspects while keeping everyone else out of harm’s way.