Police Pursuit

[Officer Moe]

I don't mean to criticize anyone or anything. TX is completely right about second guessing LE to other professions. I had a leuitenant pursue a teenager one night after the teen commited a minor traffic offense. The chase went from city to rural areas within our city limits and on a two lane road that had many twists. The teen turned his lights out and kept going at excessive speeds. My Lt. chased and chased until he wrecked out. He managed to get out of his vehicle and heard loud music coming from a house down the road. Dazed he made his way toward the house...only to find out that the house was actually the teen's vehicle overturned with him DOA behind the wheel. Autopsy said there was alcohol in the kids system. That's why he ran. Knowing that we had no Juvenile facilities and that he would be turned over to his parents, he chose to flee. My Lt. had no clue why the kid ran...he only wanted to question him about why he squealed his tires in a main block of the cruising street.

Point being he won his civil suit from the boys family...7 years after the incident occured and after much hatred and heartache. He beat himself up on a daily basis because that was the last thing he wanted to happen. He knew the kid and his family prior to this incident but you never know who is in a vehicle when you make a "routine stop". If your mission is to create a better pursuit policy and not to hinder the LEO's in doing their job then I apologize for any misunderstanding we had. I did view the site about two weeks ago and something made me leave it. I will go back with a different open-mind and try again.

[zander_zye]

Originally posted by txinvestigator1
Seldom are the decisions made by civilians going to cost someone a life.

I see that you have never designed a consumer item, a bridge or anything else that is half the way dangerous (like roller skates, bikes, etc and so forth). Ask the guy who designed the defect in the Pinto what his decision cost.

[txinvestigator1]

*********sigh***********

I wrote seldom, not never.

[zander_zye]

I know what you wrote - but life and death decisions are being made each and every day about every product that you can think about. So it is quite usual for other professions to make life and death decisions. (just not in the same way as LE)

[txinvestigator1]

Whatever Zan.

You know exactly the point I was making. And you know I was correct.

[zander_zye]

What? The Tx man being correct? Now - I would never admit to such nonsense :rolleyes: :p

[vadep]

In the last week, our department has had two pursuits, both of which were broken off. These pursuits were not disregarded by a supervisor, but by the primary officer involved.

The first involved a possible DUI, with several traffic infractions. The car, a rice-rocket equipped with nitrous, headed straight to the interstate, hit the juice, and accelerated to speeds in excess of 150. The officer immediately disregarded. The vehicle exited at the next available exit, blew a stop sign, and was broad-sided by a van. His passenger died a day later. Driver of the van was not injured.

The second pursuit was also a possible DUI. The driver of the vehicle was known (and wanted). Pursuit was disregarded due to speed and road conditions.

What's my point? I dunno. Just thought it was interesting, given the intensity of this thread.

[911]

"And yes I am held accountable by my customers each and every day. If I don't do my job to their satisfaction my cash register does not ring. Though it is certainly not life or death, I make my living by being accountable. We are all accountable".

We may vey well all be accountable but to what degree? If you don't do your job to your customer's satusfaction, who are you accountable to? A supervisor with the power to sanction you? An Internal Affairs Bureau? A civil court? A city/state criminal court? A federal court? I think not.

It is the police dept or agency who makes pursuit policy, not the cops. If cops ignore the policy they deserve to fry. If they follow it and someone is hurt or worse, go after the dept and their rules, not the cops.

[Jim Phillips]

It is the police dept or agency who makes pursuit policy, not the cops. If cops ignore the policy they deserve to fry. If they follow it and someone is hurt or worse, go after the dept and their rules, not the cops.

Exactly my sentiments and exactly what I have done.

[911]

Then I applaud you Sir.

[allusivewolf]

you know it might be the police dept or the agency that does make the policies. However cops should have a say in the matter.