ST. ANN, Mo. – There’s new GPS technology that allows officers to track fleeing drivers without chasing them, but right now St. Ann Police said they are the only department in the metro using it.
"It allows us to control the situation,” Captain William Parks said.
As soon as a driver flees, the officer can activate little cannons on the front of the police cruiser, which shoot off the tracking device.
"And it's got a very sticky substance on it, so it sticks to the back of the pursued vehicle,” Parks said.
Officers can follow the car on a map from a safe distance, giving them time to come up with a strategy.
"Instead of rushing in and staying on them and putting pressure on the pursued vehicle – which often times causes them to drive more erratically and more recklessly – it allows us to back off,” Parks said.
He said the technology, called Starchase, has worked so well they're planning on adding it to detective and task force vehicles.
"If it's gonna work for our uniform guys, it's probably going to work even better for our undercover guys, who are involved in more complex investigations,” he said.
