Radical proposal to shoot James Bond-style GPS tracking devices at criminals who speed away from police

LIKE something out of Fast and the Furious or James Bond, criminals who speed away from the police could be caught out with radical high-tech tracking devices.

Seige

CRIMINALS who speed away from the police could have James Bond-style GPS tracking devices shot onto their cars, under a radical new proposal.

The idea has been recommended by the Police Association after a survey of 3,000 rank and file officers found 93 per cent disagreed with the force’s current pursuit policy.

Police Assoiciation Secretary Ron Iddles said the policy has had a “major impact on morale” with officers concerned about the public’s perception of them and criminals able to evade arrest too easily.

The survey found officers wanted their bosses to invest in technology which would give them the edge over criminals trying to flee the law.

Police who took part in the survey also said they want clearer guidelines on pursuits and the power to decide whether to give chase or not.

Since the policy was implemented in July last year about 500 “evade police” offences have been recorded each month.

Several hi-tech methods of stopping criminals were suggested during the consultation.

The “Laser Guided Projectile” would be fired at a pursued vehicle and would contain a GPS tracking device.

The device would allow officers to follow a criminal from a safe distance.

Other ideas include a US-style remote vehicle disabling system which restricts a car’s fuel and braking capabilities and a giant “X” net, which wraps around a vehicle’s axels to stop them moving.

The unanimous call from officers to change the pursuit policy comes after two innocent people lost their lives on Victorian roads in the space of three weeks late last year after police opted not to chase stolen cars they had spotted.

Tim Jellis was driving to a friend’s house in Taylors Lakes when a stolen Audi smashed into his car, killing him instantly on October 24.

And mum of two Amanda Matheson died in hospital on November 12 three days after the car she was driving was hit by a 15-year-old boy allegedly driving a stolen BMW on the wrong side of the road in Mordialloc.

The Police Association will meet Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Doug Fryer on Thursday to discuss the pursuit policy.

“The policy needs to be simplified so members have clearer direction and there needs to be more discretion for the member who is actually pursuing,” Mr Iddles said.

Mr Fryer said he welcomed the Police Association’s survey.

He acknowledged there was confusion among police, who saw the policy as a “no pursuit” stance.

He said police would only make amendments to the policy, in which the State Coroner would be consulted, if it did not present any heightened risk to the community.

The Police Association has made 17 recommendations for changes to the policy, which police command has under review.

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Originally published as Radical proposal to shoot James Bond-style GPS tracking devices at criminals who speed away from police