Victorian Police Requested GPS Tracking Implementation

Last year, Victorian police submitted a case for GPS monitoring to be shot at vehicles rushing away from officers aimed to reduce the number of accidents involved with high-speed chases. They requested for a GPS tracking implementation for every vehicle in Victoria.

The case has already been brought to court and to be trialed in Victoria. GPS tracking devices will be installed into at least 1000 vehicles from September for a 12-month trial, Victorian police said. The sole purpose of installing the said system is to reduce the number of vehicle-related crimes and extensive high-speed car chases.

Apart from this, Victorian Police Officers also requested remote control vehicle disabling technology that could block off a vehicle’s fuel supply and take control of its brakes. This technology would send signals to a vehicle that would cause the limit of its fuel source and take the brakes to either a walking speed or a full stop.

A “fleeing vehicle tagging system”, as termed in the review, allows a “laser-guided projectile” to be shot at a fleeing vehicle so law enforcements can keep tabs on its motions via GPS. They could then overrule and keep an eye on the tagged vehicle at a safe secure distance and prevent the risks to themselves and the community  involved in a high-speed pursuit.

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This concept derived from a review of almost 3000 officers by the Victorian Police Association, which found 93 percent of the surveyed officers were unsatisfied with the force’s current chase policy.

Police sought that the government would finance technology that not only can help possibly solve crimes, but could also let them avoid or bring high speed and dangerous pursuits to a safer end.

While the statement mentioned that such ideas had recently been dismissed by the 2012 Victoria Police Inspectorate in 2012 Review as “too dangerous, challenging and costly to use and implement”.

Given the progress of technology and four years passed since these supplementary options were previously considered, the Association collaborated to consider these options.

“It is essential that these options are not carelessly dismissed as to being too dangerous or too expensive without competent evaluation and in-depth assessment.”, Victoria Police said. National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council also participated in the trial and agreed that these GPS tracking devices will be installed in vehicles at higher threat of robbery in high risk suburbs. The Victorian police aimed to install these devices in all Victorian cars.