US: American police agencies are now able to fire GPS-enabled bullets to track car chases without injuring passers-by. The bullet is designed to make high-speed chases safer – enabling the authorities to track suspects without having to risk theirs or others” lives.
Called the ‘Starchase’, it is a compressed-air cannon mounted in the squad car’s grille and controlled from a console inside the cab. With a simple push of a button, the officer can fire a sticky GPS-equipped projectile at the perp’s vehicle, where it adheres. The device sends real-time GPS coordinates to a law-enforcement computer or phone, allowing the police to track the offender without engaging in a high-speed chase.
The system is already in use in four US states – Iowa, Florida, Arizona and Colorado – and the firm behind it is now keen to get the system into the UK.
It costs $5,000 (£3,108) to install and each bullet costs $500 (£312).
Source: BBC
