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MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Excessive velocity chases are so widespread and so harmful, the Mooresville Police Division has determined to implement new know-how as a substitute approach of catching suspects — with out hurting themselves.
It’s unconventional, however a brand new “air gun” is how the division will start curbing excessive velocity chases.
Channel 9 has coated pursuits all throughout our space, together with one ending in Cabarrus County a couple of weeks in the past.
[ Juvenile driver of stolen car charged after police chase ends in Locust neighborhood ]
As an alternative of placing officers and harmless bystanders in danger, Mooresville police will use a launcher tag, referred to as StarChase. When an officer thinks a pursuit is about to occur, they’ll deploy the machine, launched from the hood of their cruiser.
It attaches to the suspect’s automotive, permitting officers to drag again. Officers can then use the GPS contained in the tag to trace the automobile for as much as eight hours, alerting different departments to help with a potential arrest.
The entire course of solely lasts a couple of moments, and it’s surprisingly quiet.
“You’re in all probability not going to listen to it faucet the again of your automobile,” mentioned Mooresville Police Corporal Jeff Noble.
[ ALSO READ: Police chase out of Charlotte ends with car in Lake Wylie, driver arrested ]
Noble mentioned the know-how is authorized as a result of North Carolina legislation permits officers to pursue and monitor suspects. The objective is to scale back harm to police vehicles and personal property and, most significantly, hold folks protected.
“We’re all about being as protected as we will,” Noble mentioned. “There may be at all times a threat in pursuits and we’re conscious of that.”
At the moment, the know-how is provided on 4 of the police division’s automobiles. If it’s profitable, they’ll increase it to different cruisers.
(CHOPPER 9: Police chase potential stolen automotive by means of 2 counties)
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