For the first time in Ontario, OPP have used satellites to track a vehicle without resorting to a risky police chase.
Yesterday afternoon, the OPP used a vehicle equipped with the Satellite Technology Apprehension Response (STAR) system after getting a call from London Police who were following a pick-up truck that was towing a trailer and refusing to stop.
The new technology uses laser-aimed darts armed with a GPS to help track fleeing vehicles. It attaches by adhesive and a magnet.
OPP officers received updated information about the location of the wanted vehicle as it continued to travel eastbound on Highway 401.
The STAR equipped OPP vehicle continued to proceed to the area where it was able to safely deploy a Global Position System (GPS) projectile. The projectile allowed the OPP Provincial Communications Centre in London to safely track the movements and location of the truck and trailer, without any police involvement as it proceeded towards Waterloo and then stopped.
The Waterloo Regional Police were then contacted and a short time later, the stolen trailer was located exactly where it was tracked to.
In light of this first successful deployment in Ontario, OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes today stated, "As a professional policing service, the OPP is committed to exploring the use of technological advancements to effectively and efficiently manage incidents that involve the apprehension of persons who fail to stop for our officers. I am encouraged at how law enforcement collaborated and how this technology worked allowing for police to locate and recover stolen property without compromising the safety of our citizens".
