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Woodbury Police to utilize launchable GPS trackers
The tool allows the police department to cut back on high-speed pursuits.
WOODBURY, Minn. — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 525 people were killed in crashes during police pursuits, in 2021.
It’s not uncommon to hear of police departments changing their policies around police chases, and Woodbury PD is one of many rethinking the philosophy around the practice.
The department is one of the latest to implement StarChase, a GPS tracker inside what looks like a high-tech dart. It’s about the size of a mini soda can.
“There’s epoxy that attaches to the vehicle and a magnetic backup,” Sgt. Chris Donahoe of the Woodbury PD said. Seven of the department’s squads are equipped with a front-end launcher that shoots up to two StarChase darts simultaneously.
“It’s been described as a high-tech t-shirt launcher,” Sgt. Donahoe said. “And it comes out from the front of the squad, and attaches to the vehicle in question.”
From inside the squad, there’s a control panel under where the police computer sits. The buttons light up when activated, and a laser fires up too, helping the officer using the system aim the darts. When it is time to launch, a red button lights up. Under it, it says ‘Fire.’
“It’s like the big red button right that you’re not allowed to push, but we get to push it,” Sgt. Donahoe said with a big smile on his face.
Once the GPS dart is attached, police can track the car from a safe spot.
“And we can come up with an apprehension plan that meets our timeline,” Donahoe added.
Something that feels like it’s straight out of Inspector Gadget is something Donahoe said he’s been hoping for.
“Especially for these high-speed pursuits that we’re able to do something to apprehend them without continuing to chase on a high speed,” he said. “High-speed pursuits are one of the most dangerous things that we engage in as police officers and it’s really something that puts everybody at risk. From the officer to the suspect and most importantly the community.”
So far, due to constitutional concerns, StarChase can only be used in the context of tracking what’s been identified as stolen vehicles. However, Donahoe said he’s also hoping for a change in lawmakers’ minds.
“We’d like to see the law further expand into allow us to use this technology to all vehicles that flee to further reduce the risk of high speed pursuits to the public,” Donahoe said.
The darts are not cheap. Donahoe said it took approximate $7,000 per vehicle to be equipped with the launcher. He said the department was able to receive funding through the city’s budget for its improvement plan.
The darts are not reusable. However, Donahoe explained that if they are able to retrieve the darts, they can exchange them for a new one from StarChase.
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The chief was discussing the shooting of Davis Maturi, who for months had been contact with the MPD about escalating harassment from his neighbor, John Sawchak.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said his department “failed” after a man was shot, allegedly by his neighbor in the city.
“We failed this victim. 100%, because that should not have happened to him,” said O’Hara in a Sunday evening press conference.
The chief was discussing the shooting of Davis Moturi, who for months had been contact with the MPD about escalating harassment from his neighbor, John Sawchak.
Sawchak was charged with shooting Moturi as he was pruning a tree on his front yard on Oct. 23.
Moturi remains hospitalized with a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion.
O’Hara and the MPD came under a heavy attack from the Minneapolis City Council after it was revealed that the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office had charged Sawchak, but the MPD had not arrested him.
“MPD still has not arrested the suspect despite charges from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for Attempted Murder, 1st Degree Assault, Stalking, and Harassment and a request from the HCAO for a warrant with $1 million bail. MPD told the HCAO they do not intend to execute the warrant ‘for reasons of officer safety,’” said the letter from the Minneapolis City Council.
“We failed to act urgently enough,” said O’Hara, before citing staffing concerns as a contributing factor.
It was a stark difference from the tone the chief initially took on Friday, then saying “If we wound up in a deadly situation, the headlines would read ‘MPD shot mentally ill person’.”
On Sunday, O’Hara said his previous comments were meant as a response to accusations that the MPD “didn’t care,” about the case.
“This is the result of over-politicizing policing in Minneapolis,” said O’Hara.
O’Hara stated that the MPD will, for the moment, continue waiting for Sawchak to exit his home to arrest him, but the chief added “We are running out of options before we have to escalate the matter.”
The heated back-and-forth between the city council and the chief continued earlier Sunday when Minneapolis City Council member Emily Koski released a statement questioning O’Hara and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey actions in the matter.
“Our Chief of Police is hiding behind excuses, and our Mayor…is just hiding.” said Koski in the statement.
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