A life-saving technology created by a former Upstate law enforcement officer could soon be hitting the market. It’s aimed at warning people when a high-speed police pursuit is happening close by.
High-speed chases are unpredictable at best. Too often they are deadly, killing innocent bystanders caught in the cross hairs, according to Tim Morgan.
“When you’ve seen that, not only the devastation at the scene but the devastation at the home, it lasts forever,” said Morgan.
In his 37 years in law enforcement, 22 years as Pickens County Assistant Sheriff, Morgan lost sleep over a better way to prevent deaths during chases.
“We have warning systems for tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning, but more people are killed in high-speed pursuits each year then all four of those combined,” said Morgan.
He and wife Trish got to work developing a device plan and teaming up with the Pickens Innovation Center last year. There are many aspects of this project that are still under wraps. They are planning for a March unveiling, but the bottom line is this is life-saving technology that will alert people close to police pursuits and stop them in their tracks.
“It will be simple notification,” said Pickens Innovation Center Director, Mark Reid Davis. “It arrives to community members within a radius of the pursuit and changes their thinking.”
Statistics show there’s a death every day in the US stemming from the 50,000 police pursuits each year.
It hit close to home in September when a North Greenville Fire Lieutenant died in a wrong-way crash. He was hit by a suspect in a police pursuit.
“It’s not going to be a cure-all, but it’s something that will warn the public with the goal of saving lives,” said Morgan about his device.
The Morgan’s hope to start selling their product this summer with the goal of using local manufacturers. They hope make a positive economic impact on Pickens County, as well.