LAPD to end high-speed chases, rely on GPS device

**Roguish Lawyer** · 02-07-2006, 15:34

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/07/lapd.gps.ap/index.html

'Car-chase capital' deploys new weapon -- GPS gum balls

Tuesday, February 7, 2006; Posted: 9:18 a.m. EST (14:18 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The car chase capital of the world is going high-tech to end dangerous pursuits across Southern California.

Police Chief William J. Bratton unveiled a strange new weapon in the police department's strategy to halt high-speed pursuits -- adhesive darts with a global positioning system that are fired at fleeing cars by police.

Once fired from a patrol car, the GPS dart is designed to stick to a fleeing car, allowing squad cars to back off the chase.

"Instead of us pushing them doing 70 or 80 miles an hour," Bratton said, "this device allows us not to have to pursue after the car. It allows us to start vectoring where the car is."

U.S. Department of Justice officials suggested testing the StarChase system in Los Angeles. A small number of patrol cars will be equipped with the compressed air launchers, which fire the miniature GPS receivers in a sticky compound resembling a golf ball.

There were more than 600 pursuits in Los Angeles and more than 100,000 nationwide last year. Critics have long questioned the wisdom of police pursuits because they can endanger bystanders and officers.

Bratton, who often calls the city the car chase capital of the world, was asked why there are so many pursuits in Los Angeles: "There are a lot of nuts here," he said.

Bob1984 · 02-07-2006, 15:51

It'll be interesting to see how well this technology works in the real world. I wonder what kind of accuracy these receivers will have. I'm also curious as to the potential for this technology to be misused.

CoLawman · 02-07-2006, 17:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob1984

It'll be interesting to see how well this technology works in the real world. I wonder what kind of accuracy these receivers will have. I'm also curious as to the potential for this technology to be misused.

Any technology that decreases the frequency of chases is welcomed. The receivers are accurate enough to be effective. This is not new to law enforcement. For surreptitious tails, these are attached to bad guy cars. The surveillance is then done from afar, with the bird dog being tracked by computer. The only thing new is the means in which the device is attached to the bad guys car.

There is always potential for misuse. I feel comfortable in saying that you have little to fear regarding law enforcement abusing the technology, if that is what you meant.

Bob1984 · 02-07-2006, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoLawman

Any technology that decreases the frequency of chases is welcomed. The receivers are accurate enough to be effective. This is not new to law enforcement. For surreptitious tails, these are attached to bad guy cars. The surveillance is then done from afar, with the bird dog being tracked by computer. The only thing new is the means in which the device is attached to the bad guys car.

There is always potential for misuse. I feel comfortable in saying that you have little to fear regarding law enforcement abusing the technology, if that is what you meant.

Makes sense, good to know the technology is mature enough to be effective. I wouldn't worry about LE abusing it but I would be concerned if criminals (such as stalkers) got ahold of it and managed to use it to track their victims. Not a likely situation, I'll admit. Thank you for your response

jatx · 02-07-2006, 18:40

Seems like a neat idea, I found some more info here: http://www.starchase.org/seestarchase.html.

Sten · 02-07-2006, 19:05

you know the LAPD is going to end up mistakenly tracking a duck at some point.

**Pete** · 02-08-2006, 05:16

Might work for the average stupid crime breaker but....

First, you have tp place one on the car. How did the chase start?

Second, how long before more smart crime breakers start using two cars. How many times have we read "The get away car was found abandoned in a parking lot."?

High Tec is neat but just another tool in the tool box.

Pete

sf11b_p · 02-08-2006, 07:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob1984

Makes sense, good to know the technology is mature enough to be effective. I wouldn't worry about LE abusing it but I would be concerned if criminals (such as stalkers) got ahold of it and managed to use it to track their victims. Not a likely situation, I'll admit. Thank you for your response

Vehicle tracking systems are available to anyone with the money to get them. They can cost no more than a handheld GPS for one with download mapping ability to the higher end with live tracking. That would be the store bought, no doubt there are some private geeks able to build them.

QRQ 30 · 02-08-2006, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

Might work for the average stupid crime breaker but....

First, you have tp place one on the car. How did the chase start?

Second, how long before more smart crime breakers start using two cars. How many times have we read "The get away car was found abandoned in a parking lot."?

High Tec is neat but just another tool in the tool box.

Pete

Concur. Now that they have foolishly advertised the system what is to stop the perps from "bailing". I guess it is enough to "capture" the car!!

CPTAUSRET · 02-08-2006, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by QRQ 30

Concur. Now that they have foolishly advertised the system what is to stop the perps from "bailing". I guess it is enough to "capture" the car!!

That was my thought.

Wear gloves, leave no prints, do it often, no one is going to chase you!

Terry

Jo Sul · 02-08-2006, 16:31

How much does one of these "GPS darts" cost? I bet an RPG round would be cheaper and more effective.

aricbcool · 02-08-2006, 18:15

Makes me think of the high speed chase I watched (on TV) while I was down in Phoenix. The bad guy jacked 4 different cars before the police finally shot him. I could easily see this new device encouraging more of that behavior.

My .02
--Aric