A Buick LaCrosse swiped off the streets of Rockford, Illinois, crossed a state line during its journey. But OnStar’s Stolen Vehicle Assistance (1) had it tracked all the way.
OnStar requires a police report be filed, and once confirmation is received that the vehicle is treated as stolen by law enforcement, an OnStar Advisor then uses GPS technology to locate the vehicle and supply information to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or law enforcement.
In the case of the aforementioned LaCrosse, the vehicle ended up in Beloit, Wisconsin, which lies 20 miles north of Rockford. OnStar provided the vehicle’s location to emergency telecommunicator Jenna Winiarski at the Rock County (Wis.) 911 Communications Center, who then relayed the message to colleague Katelyn Moe for distribution and dispatch to Beloit PD officers in the field.
Winiarski says she was unaware of OnStar’s Stolen Vehicle Slowdown(2) capability, which allows an Advisor to send a signal to the OnStar-equipped vehicle, reducing its engine power (while maintaining steering and braking functions) so law enforcement can safely pull the vehicle over — avoiding a high-speed chase. Before the vehicle can be slowed down, an Advisor sends a signal to flash the vehicle’s exterior lights — confirming its identity — and then officers indicate to OnStar that conditions are appropriate to slow the vehicle down.
Quick Action
Only eight minutes passed from the time Moe first alerted officers to the Buick’s location and when OnStar completed slowdown of the LaCrosse. A foot chase then ensued, with both suspects eventually caught and the vehicle recovered. “Because they were able to slow it down, nobody was injured,” Winiarski says.
According to Officer Eric Schoonover of the Beloit Police Department, “When I spotted the vehicle, it was within two or three seconds that OnStar was confirming with dispatch that this is where they’re at. So it was impressive.”
“I felt like this went better [than other chases] because I could somewhat predict what was going to happen,” Moe says. “The location was extremely accurate to what my officer was giving me on the radio. The OnStar Advisor had let Jenna know that they were going to be flashing the lights. As soon as we gave the word that we were behind the vehicle, they slowed it.”
Both Winiarski and Moe had much praise for the OnStar Advisor for the calm demeanor displayed and the clear, detailed information provided. “In this situation, it was really nice to have a live Advisor . . . so that he could give me further updates as I was entering information in the computer and Katelyn was giving live updates to the officers,” Winiarski says. “[And] we were able to stay on the line until the call was completed.”
“This is exactly what OnStar’s Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service is designed for — to slow down vehicles before the onset of a pursuit — to help limit injuries and keep officers safe,” says Sherry LeVeque, OnStar Emergency Services Leader.
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.