The South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP) is turning to technology in an effort to curb police pursuits that could put innocent drivers at risk.
On August 22, 2025, SDHP announced the rollout of the StarChase pursuit management system as an alternative to traditional police pursuits.
The system “launches a small tracker onto a fleeing vehicle, allowing troopers to monitor its movements in real time through GPS-based technology,” state troopers say.
The system has been installed on “multiple SDHP patrol units across South Dakota.”
The StarChase system will allow police to monitor a suspect’s vehicle location and to back off from pursuing suspects at high-speeds until an arrest can be made under controlled circumstances.
“Combined with the long-standing use of the SDHP airplane, these resources give troopers safer options to manage pursuits,” state police said.
“Advances in technology like StarChase gives us additional tools to do our job: protecting the public,” said District Two Commander Captain Mayer. “It is our intention to catch criminals and to do so as safely as possible.”