It started as a reported home invasion in Shreveport, Louisiana. Six hours later, a dramatic pursuit and apprehension of a suspect stood as a clear illustration of how OnStar can assist law enforcement.
The whole situation began to unfold when a Chevrolet pickup owner reported that he had been robbed of his truck and some cash at gunpoint during a home invasion. Because the truck had an active OnStar (1) subscription, trained OnStar Advisors located the stolen vehicle using GPS technology and advised officers, who caught up with the truck. The suspect refused to stop, however — instead, leading the officers on a chase that ended only when OnStar disabled the truck’s accelerator using Stolen Vehicle Slowdown (2)
Once police surrounded the safely stopped vehicle, the suspect still refused to surrender by locking the doors, which the OnStar Advisor was able to unlock at the officer’s request. Once the vehicle was unlocked, the suspect again refused to surrender — this time pointing a gun to his own head. Officers backed off and called in a negotiating team who utilized OnStar to talk with the suspect for more than five hours, eventually convincing him to surrender before anyone was hurt.
This compelling scene illustrates how OnStar’s trained Advisors and wide range of capabilities can provide vital assistance to law enforcement in a dangerous situation. In this particular instance, OnStar capabilities played a crucial role at several key points:
• Once the vehicle theft was reported, OnStar utilized GPS technology to provide the exact vehicle location for authorities. This enabled law enforcement to accurately locate the stolen vehicle, saving valuable time and resources.
• After the suspect tried to flee from law enforcement in the stolen truck, OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown helped prevent a potentially dangerous chase by slowing the vehicle and bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion.
• When the suspect — now surrounded — escalated the crisis by pointing a gun to his head, OnStar provided a valuable communication link between negotiators and the suspect until he could be convinced to surrender.
OnStar recognizes the importance of assisting law enforcement and first responders because several members of our Emergency Services Outreach Team have public safety backgrounds. They also participate in public safety conferences and events to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and educate the first responder community.
(1) OnStar service requires vehicle electrical system (including battery), wireless service and GPS satellite signals to be available and operating for features to function properly. Visit onstar.com for details and system limitations. OnStar acts as a link to existing emergency service providers. Subscription Service Agreement required.
(2) Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and Remote Ignition Block are available on select OnStar-equipped 2009 model and newer vehicles. Visit onstar.com for details. Success varies with conditions.