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How the StarChase System Works
The StarChase system is a commercial off-the-shelf solution comprised of a miniature GPS receiver, radio transmitter and power supply encased in a tracking projectile, and a launcher which can be hand-held or mounted on a police vehicle.
The StarChase System Is Simple to Operate
1. A compressed-air launcher, mounted behind the grille of a police cruiser, uses a laser to target the fleeing vehicle. It discharges a projectile containing the GPS receiver, transmitter and power supply.
2. The projectile adheres to the suspect vehicle and transmits coordinates back to dispatch.
3. The dispatcher then views the location and movements of the tagged vehicle in near real-time on a digital roadmap via a secure Internet connection.
Through the efficient use of technology, a high-speed chase has been replaced with a safer interdiction strategy.
The StarChase System Is Adaptable
This platform is a secure, scalable Web-based solution that does not require special hardware to operate. StarChase is compatible with existing CAD and AVL systems.
The StarChase System Saves Lives
Consistent with the movement in the law enforcement industry toward non-lethal technologies, StarChase has received numerous written requests for information about the StarChase System; many leading North American police officers are interested in an efficient and effective solution to reduce municipalities’ exposure to the liabilities involved with high-speed chases. As well as reducing the dangers and risks involved in police pursuits, the StarChase Pursuit Management System saves time, money and – most importantly – lives.
StarChase - Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Who is StarChase?
A. StarChase LLC is a company specializing in tagging and tracking pursuit management solutions for the law enforcement sector. The company is based in Virginia Beach, Va., and has been in operation since 2001. The StarChase products are patent protected in several countries, including the United States.
Q. What is the StarChase Pursuit Management System?
A. StarChase has developed a real-time tagging and tracking tool to reduce dangerous high-speed pursuits. A compressed air-launcher mounted in the grill of the police vehicle fires an electronic tracking tag onto the suspect vehicle that contains a miniature GPS receiver, radio transmitter and power supply embedded in a customized industrial-strength adhesive compound.
Q. How does it work once it’s on the suspect’s vehicle?
A. The tracking tag continually transmits its position coordinates via wireless modem, enabling dispatchers to track the vehicle’s location and movements. Once the suspect vehicle is tagged, police dispatch will coordinate their police vehicle resources to create a safe interdiction strategy or perform surveillance on the suspect.
Q. How does the police dispatch center get the data from the vehicle?
A. StarChase uses a secure cellular backbone to deliver continuous position updates to the police dispatcher using a secure password-protected Web portal.
Q. Is the StarChase solution secure?
A. The system uses state-of-the-art encryption measures to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the system, as well as a communication protocol designed with stringent levels of built-in security.
Q. What is near real-time?
A. A transmission delay allows the “ping rate” of the tag transmitter to update its position every two-three seconds. From there, it is variable and can be adjusted by the dispatcher to allow for longer “controlled pursuits” or surveillance.
Q. What is the StarChase coverage area?
A. StarChase has carrier contracts in place providing the largest footprint available in North America and abroad.
Q. How does the system’s GPS receiver perform in an urban environment (urban canyons)?
A. StarChase uses a technique known as Assisted GPS (AGPS), which uses the signals from cellular carriers to compute the receiver’s position. AGPS provides superior performance and greater accuracy in places – such as urban canyons – where the GPS signals may be weak.
Q. Is the StarChase system scalable?
A. Yes. All that is needed for a stand-alone system is a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) secure browser and a high-speed Internet connection. StarChase provides optional, complete turnkey Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) solutions integrated within the Pursuit Management System. The system can also be integrated into an agency’s existing Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) or AVL program. Using existing dispatch radio channels, StarChase supports the rebroadcast of interdiction maps for display on police car data terminals.
Q. How is the network configured and controlled?
A. The secure Web portal provides access to configuration management and other control functions to meet specific user preferences. Dispatchers have the capacity to control vehicle location functions such as setting geo-fence alerts, scheduling status updates, initiating module health checks, or changing update rates to preserve battery life.
Q. Is the StarChase data court-admissible?
A. Yes. Law enforcement has direct access to all data within the preserved chain of evidence. All StarChase data can be directly downloaded and stored on a secure server. The StarChase data trail provides historical evidence for any pursuit or interdiction event.
Q. Has the system been deployed yet?
A. StarChase is currently undergoing field testing with the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as trials with other agencies on the East Coast. Feedback has been strong, placing StarChase in a position to launch sales in the last quarter of 2007.