SOUTH BEND, Ind. (CBS) – The South Bend Police Department said it wants to learn more about new technology that could make dangerous high-speed chases a thing of the past.
WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser reports the technology is called Star Chase Pursuit Management.
A device mounted on the front of a squad car uses a laser to target a vehicle being chased by police, and then fires a GPS tracker that sticks to the target vehicle, allowing police to pull back while a dispatcher tracks the fleeing vehicle on a computer screen.
South Bend City Councilman Derek Deter, a former police officer, said it would be a good addition to the police toolbox.
“All officers want to always catch the bad guy,” he told CBS affiliate WSBT-TV in South Bend.
South Bend Police Captain Phil Trent said “it sounds like it definitely has a place in vehicle pursuits, so we’re interested in exploring the technology.”
Just last week in South Bend, a car fleeing police hit and injured a pedestrian. Star Chase could make such chases unnecessary.
The technology costs about $5,000 per vehicle.
