COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS StarChase LLC to expanding headquarters in Oceana East Industrial Park; company makes law enforcement pursuit-reduction system that provides a safer pursuit strategy than high speed chases By Marc Davis StarChase LLC, a company specializing in tagging and tracking for the law enforcement industry, will expand its Virginia Beach headquarters. The company, founded in 2012, is located at 515 Central Drive in the Oceana East Industrial Park. The company will expand the current location to accommodate the growth. StarChase manufactures a pursuit-reduction system that provides a safer pursuit strategy than high speed chases. The product contains a miniature GPS module and launcher that can be mounted on police vehicles. A compressed-air launcher deploys the GPS projectile/tag that adheres to a suspect’s vehicle. The tracking tag continually transmits its position enabling dispatchers to track the vehicle’s location and movements. Police can then create a safe interdiction strategy or perform surveillance on the suspect. StarChase’s clients include the Iowa, Austin, Duluth and St. Petersburg Police and the Arizona Highway Patrol. Product lines include GPS Launcher, StarChase GPS Tag, StarChase Training Tag, Fleet and Covert Tracking Systems and StarChase System Accessories. Over the next three years, the company will add 35 new jobs to the existing 10 positions with average annual salaries of $48,000. These jobs include management, manufacturing, engineering, finance, administrative, installation, customer service and sales/marketing functions. “This is an exciting project for the City of Virginia Beach,” said Warren D. Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development. “StarChase is the perfect illustration of how small innovative companies are impacting customers far removed from their home markets through the development and application of new technologies. This Department has been expanding our programming initiatives over the past 18 months specifically to meet the unique needs of our small business community, and we’re happy to see this is having an impact.” The Virginia Beach Development Authority approved an Economic Development Investment Program grant in the amount of $50,000 based on the number of jobs created and the capital investment of $160,000 for real estate improvements, furniture, equipment and fixtures. StarChase President Trevor Fischbach stated, “StarChase is pleased to be recognized by Virginia Beach Economic Development, and we view the grant as an investment in our future here in Virginia Beach. The funds will allow us to expand at our existing facility as we ramp up to meet our 2015 sales forecast and deliver our tracking technology to law enforcement agencies worldwide.” StarChase LLC (starchase) provides pursuit management and GPS tracking technology to law enforcement agencies worldwide. The tactical interdiction offers a safer alternative while still catching the offender. The StarChase system is a proven, less-lethal technology that provides a significant tactical advantage to law enforcement officers in failure-to-yield or high-risk flight situations. Once a vehicle is tagged, it enables a dispatcher to track the suspect in real time using a web-based mapping program. The officer remains on the street, a potentially dangerous pursuit is avoided, and the suspect can then be safely apprehended. The privately held company is based in Virginia Beach, Va., and has been in operation since 2006. StarChase products are patent protected in the United States and worldwide. (Information from the city of Virginia Beach.)
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 14:50:19 +0000
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