Highway patrol using new tracker system on fleeing cars

PIERRE, SD (KELO) -- The South Dakota Highway Patrol has a new tool that the department says will make vehicle pursuits safer for both the public and law enforcement.

According to a news release, the StarChase system launches a small tracker onto a fleeing vehicle, which then allows troopers to monitor the vehicles's movements in real time through GPS.

This will allow troopers to back away from a high-speed pursuit while still tracking the suspect's location so they can make an arrest later, in a more controlled manner.

The highway patrol says StarChase has been installed in multiple patrol units across the state.