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GPS darts now being used by deputies to prevent dicey pursuits

Sheriff says new tech has been incredibly successful

Matt Howerton
General Assignment Reporter
GPS darts now being used by deputies to prevent dicey pursuits

Sheriff says new tech has been incredibly successful

WEBVTT HOWERTON SHOWS US HOW IT WORKS.MATT: IT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHTSEE IN A SPY MOVIE.BUT THIS ISN'T A JAMES BONDGADGET.NOPE, IT'S A BRAND NEW CRIMEFIGHTING TOOL FOR THE BERNALILLOCOUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.>> I THOUGHT OF A COUPLE OFMOVIES WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.SPY FILMS, YEAH.MATT: IT'S CALLED STAR CHASE.AND IN JUNE, SHERIFF MANNYGONZALES OUTFITTED A NUMBER OFSQUAD CARS WITH IT.HERE'S HOW IT WORKS.IF A DEPUTY STARTS PURSUING ASUSPECT ON THE ROAD, AND THATPURSUIT STARTS TO GET DANGEROUS THEY CAN FIRE A GPS TRACKINGDART THAT STICKS TO THE SUSPECTSCAR.THAT WAY, THE DEPUTY CAN BACKOFF, KEEP THEIR DISTANCE, ANDMONITOR WHERE THE SUSPECT GOES.WHICH KEEPS THEM AND THE PUBLICOUT OF HARM.>> WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUTHIGH RISK PURSUITS.IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHESTLIABILITIES WE GET INTO.MATT: AND ONCE THE VEHICLESTOPS?DEPUTIES CAN MOVE IN AND MAKE ANARREST.SINCE JUNE, GONZALES SAYS 18DARTS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED DURINGCHASES.THE RESULT?15 PEACEFUL ARRESTS.BUT THAT'S NOT ALL IN JUST THREE MONTHS, THESEDARTS HAVE HELPED RECOVER ATLEAST 100 GRAND IN STOLENPROPERTY.AND GET THIS, GONZALES SAYS ONLY COSTS $10,000 A YEAR TOHAVE STAR CHASE.AT THIS POINT, IT HAS BEEN AGOOD INVESTMENT.MATT: AND FOLKS WE TALKED TOSEEM TO AGREE.THEY'VE JUST BEEN USING IT FOR 3MONTHS AND THEY'VE ALREADYRECOVERED THAT MUCH.>> THAT IS GREAT!RATHER THAN HAVING A HIGH SPEEDCHASE, AND CAUSING HARM TOINNOCENT BYSTANDERS THAT'SPROBABLY A GOOD OPTION.MATT: AND FOR A METRO THAT HASSOME OF THE HIGHEST CRIME RATESIN THE NATION, THIS HELPSDEPUTIES STAY AHEAD OF THECURVE.MATT HOWERTON, KOAT.DOUG: ONLY A HANDFUL OF SQUADCARS HAVE STAR CHASE.IT'S ONLY A PILOT PROGRAM RIGHT
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GPS darts now being used by deputies to prevent dicey pursuits

Sheriff says new tech has been incredibly successful

Matt Howerton
General Assignment Reporter
A handful of squad cars for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with GPS tracking darts that shoot out and stick to a suspect’s vehicle during dangerous high-speed chases.The goal, according to Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, is to deescalate a chase while maintaining surveillance of the suspect or suspects. The futuristic technology is called “StarChase” --and it looks like it comes straight out of a spy movie. Gonzales says his office started a pilot program for StarChase in June. The startup cost was $30,000 and costs $10,000 to run annually. How it all works is truly intriguing. If a deputy is following a suspect on the road and the chase starts to become dangerous, Gonzales says they can deploy a StarChase dart. If fired accurately, it sticks to the back of the suspect’s car. The darts fire from an air compressor unit that’s mounted on the front of a deputy’s vehicle. The darts don’t penetrate or damage vehicles, Gonzales adds.Once attached, deputies can then back off from the chase and keep tabs on the suspect by tracking the dart through computer aided dispatch.Gonzales says it removes deputies and the public from the threat of any potential danger. “We’re always concerned about high-risk pursuits. It’s probably one of the highest liabilities we get into,” Gonzales said. “Anything that keeps our officers and the public safe, we get excited about.” Gonzales says deputies can keep their distance (and a low profile) as they monitor where the suspect goes, and then move in for an arrest once the vehicle stops.Since June, Gonzales says that 18 darts have been deployed. Of those 18 deployments, 15 successful arrests followed. Not only that, Gonzales says that at least $100,000 in stolen property has been recovered since StarChase launched a few months ago. A lot of that property, he says, revolves around stolen cars. “It’s nice to recover someone’s vehicle unharmed. At this point, it’s been a really good investment.” The sheriff’s office says it’s the only department in the state with StarChase. While it’s only a pilot program, Gonzales says he’d like to outfit all squad cars with the technology at some point in the future.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM —

A handful of squad cars for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with GPS tracking darts that shoot out and stick to a suspect’s vehicle during dangerous high-speed chases.

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The goal, according to Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, is to deescalate a chase while maintaining surveillance of the suspect or suspects.

The futuristic technology is called “StarChase” --and it looks like it comes straight out of a spy movie.

Gonzales says his office started a pilot program for StarChase in June. The startup cost was $30,000 and costs $10,000 to run annually.

How it all works is truly intriguing. If a deputy is following a suspect on the road and the chase starts to become dangerous, Gonzales says they can deploy a StarChase dart. If fired accurately, it sticks to the back of the suspect’s car.

The darts fire from an air compressor unit that’s mounted on the front of a deputy’s vehicle. The darts don’t penetrate or damage vehicles, Gonzales adds.

Once attached, deputies can then back off from the chase and keep tabs on the suspect by tracking the dart through computer aided dispatch.

Gonzales says it removes deputies and the public from the threat of any potential danger.

“We’re always concerned about high-risk pursuits. It’s probably one of the highest liabilities we get into,” Gonzales said.

“Anything that keeps our officers and the public safe, we get excited about.”

Gonzales says deputies can keep their distance (and a low profile) as they monitor where the suspect goes, and then move in for an arrest once the vehicle stops.

Since June, Gonzales says that 18 darts have been deployed. Of those 18 deployments, 15 successful arrests followed.

Not only that, Gonzales says that at least $100,000 in stolen property has been recovered since StarChase launched a few months ago. A lot of that property, he says, revolves around stolen cars.

“It’s nice to recover someone’s vehicle unharmed. At this point, it’s been a really good investment.”

The sheriff’s office says it’s the only department in the state with StarChase.

While it’s only a pilot program, Gonzales says he’d like to outfit all squad cars with the technology at some point in the future.