Latest news with #Initiative2113
Geek Wire
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Geek Wire
Seattle lawmakers approve GPS tracking tech for police pursuits
(GeekWire File Photo) The Seattle City Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday to authorize the Seattle Police Department's use of GPS tracking devices designed to reduce dangerous high-speed police chases. The approval of CB 120994 comes amid questions about the technology's effectiveness and concerns about expanding surveillance capabilities. The system, built by Virginia-based StarChase, uses compressed-air launchers mounted on police vehicles to fire battery-powered GPS tracking projectiles onto suspect vehicles during pursuits, theoretically enabling them to monitor the suspect's location remotely. The technology is being funded through a $250,000 state grant that will cover installation on 25 SPD vehicles and a two-year software subscription. Other police departments around Washington state and the U.S. have tested StarChase with varying levels of success. Last year the Oakland Police Department said it would stop using the technology. Privacy advocates, meanwhile, say the technology expands police power and could 'enable warrantless surveillance,' according to a statement from ACLU of Washington, as reported by The Urbanist. ACLU also said it was concerned about sharing of data and people's privacy. The bill describes the system's use as limited to vehicles where 'probable cause or reasonable suspicion of involvement in a crime has been established.' The new law comes as Washington state has significantly loosened restrictions on police pursuits. Lawmakers last year passed Initiative 2113, which allows officers to chase suspects based on 'reasonable suspicion' of any crime, dramatically expanding from previous laws that limited pursuits to serious violent offenses. 'This could be an incredible move forward for our city in terms of public safety, because of the importance of the issue of pursuit,' councilmember Bob Kettle, who sponsored the legislation, said during Tuesday's meeting. Police pursuits have become an increasingly urgent public safety concern nationwide. A San Francisco Chronicle investigation last year found that police chases kill nearly two people a day in the U.S., while 551 bystanders were killed in chases from 2017 to 2022. 'This is about bringing a comprehensive approach to what we're doing,' Kettle said, noting the system would integrate with SPD's new Real Time Crime Center. SPD uses various other technology including automated license plate readers and CCTV cameras. A push from Mayor Bruce Harrell to implement controversial gunshot detection tech didn't move forward last year.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Yahoo
Driver arrested on suspicion of DUI after leading police in a pursuit through Shelton
On Feb. 12, the Mason County Sheriff's Office arrested a person after a citizen reported an SUV driving dangerously on Acadia Road who then led police on a chase through Shelton. According to MCSO, a person called the police to report a car driving dangerously on the wrong side of the road and forcing other drivers off the road. When deputies tried to pull the driver over, he sped away. MCSO said the SUV was going between 40 and 60 mph on a two-lane road. Deputies used stop sticks to deflate the SUV's tires but the driver continued to run. As the SUV struggled to turn into another road, one deputy performed the PIT maneuver forcing the SUV into a ditch on Southeast Binns Swiger Loop Road. This ended the chase and deputies arrested the driver on suspicion of DUI. On February 12, 2025, Deputies with the Mason County Sheriff's Office successfully apprehended a suspect following a vehicle pursuit that began on Arcadia Road and concluded on SE Binns Swiger Loop Road. The incident began when a vigilant citizen reported a white SUV driving recklessly, swerving into oncoming traffic, and forcing other vehicles off the roadway. Deputies attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over, leading to a pursuit at speeds between 40-60 mph. Stop sticks were deployed, deflating the suspect's tires; however, the vehicle continued to flee. The pursuit concluded safely when Deputies executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, bringing the vehicle to a stop in a ditch. The driver was taken into custody without further incident and transported for DUI processing. This incident underscores the importance of recent updates to Washington State law, specifically Initiative 2113, which took effect on June 6, 2024. This initiative restored law enforcement's ability to engage in vehicular pursuits based on reasonable suspicion, enabling quicker resolutions to incidents and reducing danger to the public. We thank the vigilant citizen whose prompt report was instrumental in this apprehension. Community involvement, combined with the dedication and professionalism of our Deputies, plays a crucial role in maintaining public safety in Mason County. #MasonCountyWa #TeamMCSO #RightPlaceRightTime ~40 Posted by Mason County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, February 15, 2025
