What science-fiction novels, Batman comics, and cartoons have long proclaimed, finally breaks contemporary ground; GPS bullets are about to join American police arsenals. The bullets are stored within a special cannon located in the grill of the equipped police car and are fired at the press of a button into the runaway vehicle.
The technology, dubbed Starchase, is a bold step forward in reducing the likelihood of high-speed pursuits, often considered dangerous to both engaging officers and pedestrians alike. According to ODMP, the Officer Down Memorial Page, a quarter of all the officers slain in the line of duty died to automobile accidents in 2013 alone. Automobile related fatalities are the highest cause of police officer fatalities second only to gunshot wounds; the bullets should have a direct impact on significantly reducing this figure.
Bullet fired out of the grill can be seen left of SUV’s license plate, image courtesy of New York Post
Iowa, Arizona, Florida and Colorado state police are Starchase’s first adopters, but with a steep price tag of $500 per bullet and $5000 for the entire system, police agencies must first justify their spending with field testing. According to the New York Post, Iowa State Patrol Trooper Tim Sieleman had his first opportunity to use the tech just last week, after tagging a fleeing vehicle and later apprehending the suspect in Omaha, Nebraska. The suspect immediately blended with traffic once the officer disengaged, thereby eliminating the dangers of reckless driving, “I was able to tag a vehicle and back completely out,” said Sieleman.
Subsequent to Sieleman’s efficient dispatch, the Iowa State Patrol plans to outfit another five more vehicles in short term. Considering the Iowa State Patrol engaged in 87 pursuits between October 2012 and 2013, the inclusion of Starchase equipped vehicles play a significant role in curbing associated accidents.
The tracking technology is not without its grey areas, raising concerns over civil liberties: how will police prove who was driving the vehicle at the time of the chase if it’s later found? Police tactics will have to evolve around the use of Starchase to narrow the wind of opportunity for a suspect’s alibi in relation to location where he or she is caught.
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