PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP) is turning to advanced technology to make dangerous vehicle pursuits safer for both the public and law enforcement. Troopers now have another key tool to track suspects without putting lives at risk: the StarChase pursuit management system. Combined with the long-standing use of the SDHP airplane, these resources give troopers safer options to manage pursuits.
The StarChase system launches a small tracker onto a fleeing vehicle, allowing troopers to monitor its movements in real time through GPS-based technology. This gives law enforcement the ability to back away from a high-speed chase while still keeping tabs on a suspect’s location until an arrest can be made in a controlled manner.
“Advances in technology like StarChase gives us additional tools to do our job: protecting the public,” said District Two Commander Captain Mayer. “It is our intention to catch criminals and to do so as safely as possible.”
In addition to StarChase, the SDHP’s airplane continues to be one of the Patrol’s most effective pursuit management tools. Operating high above, the airplane provides troopers on the ground with real-time updates on a suspect’s movements, reducing the need for ground units to follow at dangerous speeds.
“Both StarChase and the airplane give us safer alternatives,” said SDHP Superintendent Col. Casey Collins. “Technology allows us to slow things down, protect innocent motorists, and still bring suspects into custody.”
The South Dakota Highway Patrol remains committed to balancing public safety with effective law enforcement. The use of advanced technology is helping to take the danger out of pursuits.
StarChase has been installed on multiple SDHP patrol units across South Dakota.