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RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:08 PM Jan 2012

What is your opinion of high speed police chases?

A wife of an Atlanta Braves trainer was killed here Saturday night. (doesn't matter who she is, this could happen to anyone) She and her family were on their way to the Chik fil A Bowl in Atlanta--I have passed through this intersection numerous times; it is very busy. An officer was responding to a chase (another officer was already in pursuit) of a motorcycle that wouldn't pull over..or that is what the local news is reporting.

Officer runs through a red light at high speed on a city street before he can get to the highway, slams into a car and kills someone.

It's questionable whether his siren was on. BTW, it's not the first time this has happened here, and it won't be the last.

My opinion: Ban them!

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/braves-trainers-wife-killed-crash-trooper/nGDBH/

18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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i_sometimes

(201 posts)
1. With you on this.
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:11 PM
Jan 2012

Catch the perp later, even if you don't at least no one died.
My dad once said no one out runs the radio, he was an old school kind of cop though.

 

rfranklin

(13,200 posts)
2. shows very poor behavior on the part of the officer...
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:12 PM
Jan 2012

I have always seen police slow down at lights and look both ways when they have the siren on.

This situation didn't justify such reckless behavior.

ZombieHorde

(29,047 posts)
3. Police officers should only be allowed to perform high-speed chases in extreme situations.
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:15 PM
Jan 2012

If I was supreme overlord, police would be very different. They would be highly-educated academics.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)
4. We had a state trooper die when he lost control of his SUV
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:16 PM
Jan 2012

while pursuing a motorcyclist on a winding, hilly road at about 2AM. I think the motorcyclist ended up in prison on trumped up charges - he was declared responsible for the trooper's death! No one dared to suggest that perhaps the trooper showed poor judgement. Even better, the New York State legislature responded by passing a bill making it a crime for failing to stop when pursued. IIRC, the motorcyclist claimed to have had no idea he was being pursued.

unblock

(51,974 posts)
5. when i was an emt, i learned that running lights and sirens was BY FAR the biggest danger
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:24 PM
Jan 2012

to an emt.

emts risk violent patients, getting caught in crossfire, disease, hazardous materials and hazardous situations, but by far the biggest risk of injury and death to an emt is the ride to the hospital while running lights and sirens.

i remember being shown a study that noted that the little bit of time saved almost never made a difference in patient outcome. the one exception was stroke, where every second or treatment delay actually can affect quality of life, assuming the patient survives. but that's an argument for getting stroke treatment in the field, rather than rushing the patient to the stroke treatment.



the situation for police is difference, but the questions are similar.

the dangers for police in hot pursuit are equal, if not greater, and the question of outcome remains. once you've made an identification of the vehicle, can an arrest be made by another police car up ahead, or even calmly at the suspect's home later? surely there are times when there would be a loss if the suspect weren't pursued and allowed to dispose evidence or extend their criminal activity, but i think those cases are not as common as you might think.

i think the case for high-speed pursuit is limited and it is rather overused, probably because that's the excitement cops signed up for and it's hard to pass up the thrill.


RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
6. Exactly.
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:28 PM
Jan 2012

I really don't want to pretend what an officer is thinking, but I can't help but assume this ramps him up. Scary.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
14. Yup, 99% of accidents involving an ambulance
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 02:45 PM
Jan 2012

involve lights and sirens. (At least in my experience, one job as a super was to investigate these things)

Oh and for exactness about 70% or so involved lights, sirens and radio use by the operator.

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
7. Chases make for great television and it's an exciting perk for cops, but it's terrible policy
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:31 PM
Jan 2012

Chasing speeders and other traffic offenders can be deadly. If the suspect has committed a violent crime, that's one thing, but it's not worth risking lives to enforce traffic laws.

Tikki

(14,538 posts)
8. Do you all have at least one high speed chase that was responsible for...
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:34 PM
Jan 2012

killing an innocent bystander in your community? Our community has.





The Tikkis

liberal N proud

(60,302 posts)
9. They are fun to watch the crashes
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:43 PM
Jan 2012





















Just in case you missed it:



Chasing a speeding vehicle with one police car doubles the danger, keep adding cars and the danger grows exponentially.

RebelOne

(30,947 posts)
11. The local Atlanta news station said that after that accident
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 02:35 PM
Jan 2012

the city is considering banning high-speed police chases.

Hugabear

(10,340 posts)
12. For traffic infractions and non-life threatening crimes? Absolutely, ban them!
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 02:40 PM
Jan 2012

The only possible exception might be if someone's life is in imminent danger. But even then, high-speed chases should be revamped as much as technologically possible. For example, use of helicpoters, closing down intersections, etc.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
13. MOST chases should not happen
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 02:42 PM
Jan 2012

not with modern day air units.

There are a very few exceptions to this rule... but they fall under fingers in one hand...

Most are wholly unnecessary... or uncalled for.

Exceptions would include kidnapping cases where somebody could get killed in that vehicle... Those are VERY RARE

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
15. The official California state sport!
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 02:46 PM
Jan 2012


I agree they're dangerous as hell, and police need to look for alternatives.

Missy Vixen

(16,207 posts)
18. They're ineffective
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 06:56 PM
Jan 2012

A high-speed police chase in Seattle in the early 70's killed our friend's dad. He was sitting at a stoplight on his way home from work. Five kids under ten were instantly fatherless. I should also mention that the father in question had very little life insurance, and as I remember, his widow did not recover any settlement from SPD or their insurers.

High-speed chases do nothing but let the police show off how they can put their "foot into it". They also kill innocent bystanders as a rule.

I'm against them.

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