It has long been a problem for law enforcement that some bad actors flee when they are pulled over for traffic stops. Naturally, this is to evade punishment for whatever they were pulled over for or any illegal items they have in the vehicle. Now, some police officers are using GPS trackers to find drivers after they flee. Of course, with success, this could become more common. 

Police departments are employing GPS trackers for people who flee traffic stops

As mentioned, it’s not uncommon for people to flee when pulled over for traffic stops by the police. This puts police officers in a bind because pursuing the driver could be dangerous for everyone on the road. Now, according to News 7 Boston, some state troopers in Massachusetts are using GPS trackers to aid in catching these drivers. 

So, how do these GPS trackers work? In a nutshell, vehicles with the devices have a double-barreled launcher on the front of the squad car that holds the GPS tags. The tags, which are about the size of a hand, are launched, and they stick to the back of the vehicle the state trooper is pursuing. The device also uses a magnet to remain attached to the car. This device works best from 18 to 20 feet away. 

Traffic stops are also more accessible for police because they can use a handheld device to launch the GPS trackers. However, there is also a console in the squad car where they can control the devices. 

The Massachusetts State Police Department has been using GPS trackers for traffic stops since May of this year. About 30 squad cars have them so far. Regarding costs, each unit runs about $2,300. They are hopeful of using it in more police vehicles. Since May, state troopers have used the trackers about 46 times. According to The Boston Globe, the agency says 76 percent of the uses were successful, and the darts only failed to attach to cars 8.7 percent of the times used. However, 15.2 percent of the uses were not successful due to user error. 

For more reading, check out this recent article on the new Ford police car.