| | | | | | | |  | New Business and Commission Requests - R9 AH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM |
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| | | | | | | | | TO: | Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission | | | FROM: | Alina T. Hudak, City Manager | | | DATE: | February 21, 2024 | | | |
| | SUBJECT: | DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF STARCHASE GPS TRACKING DARTS PILOT PROGRAM TO AID IN THE APPREHENSION OF FLEEING CRIMINAL SUSPECTS. |
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND/HISTORY
| | Mayor Steven Meiner placed a Resolution on the January 31, 2024 City Commission Agenda to evaluate the merits, cost, and potential implementation of StarChase GPS Tracking Darts by the Miami Beach Police Department. The Resolution was discussed and passed with direction for the Police Department to return to the February 21, 2024, City Commission meeting with options and a recommendation for a potential pilot program regarding the utilization of StarChase GPS Tracking Darts to aid in the apprehension of fleeing criminal suspects. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) personnel initiated a review of the StarChase dart technology by contacting the company to solicit detailed information about the product. Staff then thoroughly searched for any similar competitors offering an alternative technology option that could provide similar functionality. This search did not identify any suitable comparable alternatives to the StarChase vehicle mounted and handheld tagging and tracking products.
On January 30, 2024, Police participated in a teleconference meeting with Starchase, a company comprised of former law enforcement officers, Department of Defense veterans, and engineering and IT professionals. The products offered by the company are cloud-based applications (SaaS) that have been tested and certified as less lethal in an approved testing facility, and indeed provide a capability that the Department does not currently possess. That is, to deploy a GPS-enabled tracking device in instances where a vehicle flees from police officers or when a scenario is encountered where a felony vehicle is anticipated to flee. The product can track the fleeing vehicle without engaging in a dangerous pursuit and provides real-time telemetry information, which could be integrated with the functions of the Department's Real-Time Intelligence Center.
In theory, by utilizing StarChase products as a de-escalation tool, a felony vehicle could be remotely tracked, and officers could be directed to the general area of the fleeing vehicle to be present and affect an arrest when offenders exit the vehicle and flee on foot. Additionally, StarChase offers a portable version of the product launched from a hand-held device, which could be an additional option for plain-clothes officers from the Department's Strategic Enforcement Team to utilize. |
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| | | | | | | | SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
| | N/A |
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| | | | | | | | FINANCIAL INFORMATION
| | Currently being explored. |
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION
| | Police Department staff is continuing to assess the technology, and a demonstration has been scheduled for early March to see the product’s capabilities in person. Staff is also currently reaching out to other agencies who have deployed the technology to evaluate their experience with the products. Additional due diligence is required before the Department is in a position to make a recommendation. However, preliminary assessments have identified the viability of the product with a possibility for a subsequent piloting phase. |
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | No | | No | |
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| | | | | | | | Strategic Connection
| | Neighborhoods - Prevent and solve crime for residents and visitors. |
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| | | | | | | | Legislative Tracking
Police |
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| | | | | | | | Sponsor
Mayor Steven Meiner |
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