The Raleigh City Council on Tuesday approved the acquisition of StarChase, a GPS tracking tool, for use by the Police department de la ciudad.

“The Raleigh Police Department will soon be able to track vehicles that evade a traffic stop without having to chase them, reducing the risk to pedestrians, motorists, and officers,” Read the statement.

Split approval in the Council

The council accepted the Raleigh Police Department Foundation's donation for these devices in a 6-2 vote.

Councilwomen Christina Jones and Megan Patton voted against it, after Jones requested that the issue be removed from the consent agenda, where uncontroversial matters are normally approved, to allow for public discussion.

“It has more to do with the process of understanding and making it more transparent for the community,” Jones said during the session.

Those who supported the measure pointed to the urgent need for tools that reduce the risks of vehicle chases.

“The fact that there were five car chases last week (shows) that there is a sense of urgency and that this measure could immediately improve public safety,” said Mayor Janet Cowell.

Related>>  Raleigh Mayor: "Police are not there to enforce immigration laws"

How StarChase Works

StarChase is a system that allows officers to mark fleeing vehicles using an adhesive-backed tracking device launched from the patrol car.

The system fires a small device that attaches to the suspect vehicle. Once attached, the data is then sent to its Real-Time Intelligence Center (RTIC).

The device allows officers to interrupt direct pursuit and continue tracking remotely.

Officers can share the information with agents on the ground to coordinate a subsequent intervention.

Implementation in Raleigh

The Raleigh Police Department will equip 20 patrol cars with StarChase launchers.

The system was acquired for $174,620, funds provided by the Raleigh Police Department Foundation, according to authorities.

Police Chief Rico Boyce said an officer must establish probable cause before deploying the tracking device.

Police use and background

StarChase offers multiple GPS technology solutions for public safety and government agencies worldwide, according to the company's website.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), among other organizations, have expressed concern regarding the legality of using these devices. They claim that courts have determined GPS tracking without a court order constitutes a search and therefore requires judicial authorization.

You may be interested in:  The government seeks to expand the collection of biometric data in immigration: DNA, iris and voice, even for children

Other approvals: electroshock weapons and more

The department also approved upgrading from the Taser 7 to the Taser 10, which allows a distance of up to 45 feet between the officer and the suspect.

Funding was also approved for Axon Records and the Fusus platform, in order to streamline and improve the processes of managing and archiving records within the department.

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Raleigh approves GPS system to track vehicles and avoid police chases

by Claudia Rivera Cotto, Enlace Latino NC
January 22, 2026

Enlace Latino NCJanuary 22, 2026 The Raleigh City Council on Tuesday approved the acquisition of StarChase, a GPS tracking tool, for use by the city's Police Department . “The Raleigh Police Department will soon be able to track vehicles that evade a traffic stop without having to chase them, reducing the risk to pedestrians, motorists, and officers,” the statement reads. Split approval in the Council The council accepted the Raleigh Police Department Foundation's donation for these devices in a 6-2 vote. Councilwomen Christina Jones and Megan Patton voted against it, after Jones requested that the issue be removed from the consent agenda, where uncontroversial matters are normally approved, to allow for public discussion. “It has more to do with the process of understanding and making it more transparent for the community,” Jones said during the session. Those who supported the measure pointed to the urgent need for tools that reduce the risks of vehicle chases. “The fact that there were five car chases last week (shows) that there is a sense of urgency and that this measure could immediately improve public safety,” said Mayor Janet Cowell. Related>> Raleigh Mayor: “Police are not meant to enforce immigration laws” How StarChase Works StarChase is a system that allows officers to mark fleeing vehicles using an adhesive-backed tracking device launched from the patrol car. The system triggers a small device that attaches to the suspect vehicle. Once attached, the data is then sent to your Real-Time Intelligence Center (RTIC). The device allows officers to interrupt direct pursuit and continue tracking remotely. Officers can share the information with agents on the ground to coordinate a subsequent intervention. Implementation in Raleigh The Raleigh Police Department will equip 20 patrol cars with StarChase launchers. The system was acquired for $174,620, funds provided by the Raleigh Police Department Foundation, according to authorities. Police Chief Rico Boyce said an officer must establish probable cause before deploying the tracking device. Police use and background StarChase offers multiple GPS technology solutions for public safety and government agencies worldwide, according to the company's website. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), among other organizations, has expressed concern about the legality of using these devices. They argue that courts have determined that GPS tracking without a warrant constitutes a search and, therefore, requires judicial authorization. You might also be interested in: The government seeks to expand the collection of biometric data in immigration: DNA, iris and voice, even for children Other approvals: electroshock weapons and more The department also approved upgrading from the Taser 7 to the Taser 10, which allows a distance of up to 45 feet between the officer and the suspect. Funding was also approved for Axon Records and the Fusus platform, in order to streamline and improve the processes of managing and archiving records within the department. This article first appeared onEnlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/raleigh-aprueba-sistema-gps-para-rastrear-vehiculos-y-evitar-persecuciones-policiales/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

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