There are too many shoot them up car chases in video games and TV and movies and most of all between the Police and a suspect. It is too dangerous with so many people on the streets that the chase will undoubtably do more harm than good at the end of the day. For Police Departments around the country, high speed car chases are a real problem. Often they can claim the lives of innocent bystanders. Police pursuits are often so dramatic that we can’t look away.  At the end of the drama along with the other charges, a suspect can receive additional charges   for   reckless evasion and felony hit and run.

It is unacceptable collateral damage. Now Police Departments have a new idea that is working to stop high speed chases in pursuit of a suspect and still catch the offender. A USA Today investigation found that 5,000 people of bystanders and passengers   have been killed in police car chases since 1979. Tens of thousands more have been injured.  Over 90% of all chases are for nonviolent crimes.  So, often the pursuit is more dangerous than the violation.  Legislation needs to be done to find the funds to pay for pursuit reduction technology so that more arrogant suspects can be apprehended with no evasive pursuits harming law abiding citizens.

Police in Austin, Texas and some 20 departments across the country are testing a GPS tracking device where pressing a button from the cops dashboard releases a projectile through compressed air  that attaches to the suspects’ car holding a GPS Device. The Police can then track the suspect’s car by remote and know where he is going without any chasing involved. The system is called Star Chase and through a command center locate the suspect in a safe area to be apprehended. The tagging system is not only safe for the community but also for the officer in pursuit of a suspect. Austin Police claims that Star Search has been a success.  It is the 21^st century pursuit solution that puts officers in control.

Since 2013 the system has been deployed more than 40 times with 100% reliability with an arrest rate and no crashes.  Austin has ordered 10 more units at a cost of $5,000 dollars each. These devices are worth every dime if it will stop the drama that kills innocent lives in the way of such pursuits. America needs to calm down.  It is hard on the officer who is pursuing a suspect since he has to concentrate on the suspect getting away while talking on the radio to supervisors telling them what is going on and what you are doing. You have to report how fast you are going and where you are going.

A police chase can make an officers heart rate double from the trauma of the chase. It makes it difficult to make rational decisions. Most officers are just trying to bring the bad guys to justice and give victim’s closure but we do not need to create more victims in reckless dramatic high speed chases.  Law makers should stop worrying about who will be President in 2 more years and work on improving technology to help police and citizens get along safely together.