Suffolk County sheriff’s deputies are testing out high-tech guns that will be mounted on police car bumpers to fire GPS darts onto suspects’ vehicles’ during high-speed chases.
The new technology, known as StarChase, already led to the tracking and arrest of a drunk driver who refused to pull over, authorities announced Thursday.
The program was launched several weeks ago and is being piloted by the department’s DWI enforcement unit — the first agency in the county with access to the tech, according to officials.
“We have seen dozens of people try to evade arrest causing dangerous situations for themselves, our officers and the community at large,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.
“With our DWI team equipped with the StarChase GPS technology, it will help them apprehend subjects during high-risk events by safely giving our officers access to their real-time location, speed and direction,” the sheriff said.
Once a driver makes it clear they have no intentions of pulling over, police are authorized to shoot the adhesive GPS tag onto the back of the fleeing vehicle, authorities said. It isn’t clear what the dart guns’ maximum range is.
The dart then latches onto the car, giving officers and dispatch the ability to monitor the target’s real-time location, speed and direction without having to chase them through the streets.
Once the driver believes they got away and comes to a stop, the tracking officers are then able to swoop in and make the surprise arrest.
The system, according to officials, boasts an 85% success rate across a range of offenses — from drunk driving and stolen vehicles to human trafficking and narcotics — and could possibly find itself implemented on cop cars across the county to use beyond DWI enforcement.
With the new pilot program launching just weeks ago, Suffolk joins neighboring New York City and Old Westbury cops in Nassau County who both implemented the tech back in 2023.
Many residents said they’re in favor of the new technology.
“This is great,” said Holstville resident Wilma Ramos.
“If we have the technology, there is no reason for police to engage in dangerous, high-speed chases through Long Island or city streets that put people’s lives at risk,” she added.
