Should police be allowed to engage in high speed chases?
By bostonphil
@bostonphil (4459)
United States
June 16, 2012 7:46pm CST
We had a very bad situation in Austin yesterday. A man was seen breaking into and stealing an automobile from a very nice shopping mall. The police were patrolling the mall and were notified. They began to pursue the thief. He did not stop. He began to drive at a high rate of speed with the police following in pursuit. The car thief crashed into another vehicle some miles from the mall. The driver of the other vehicle, an innocent bystander, was killed instantly. The car thief is now in jail and being charged with murder.
There is some controversy over high speed pursuits by the police when no violent crime has been committed. Some critics feel that the police should not be allowed to engage in such high speed chases. They feel the police should radio ahead, get the license plate, put up roadblocks, etc. The critics feel that there are other ways to catch these persons who have committed a non-violent crime.
It is a very sad situation.
2 responses
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
20 Jun 12
I have read the comments below and I think the blame is being placed on the wrong side. This person decided to steal a car and then when the police got behind them with their lights on he decided to make a run for it. So this person the Thief is the one who is responsible for the Deaths of the people it was him who broke the law it was him that killed those people.
The Police will generally give room when the chase gets dangerous but as this happened a mile away they would have to maintain pursuit until an Police Chopper could be put into the airspace so the Police where doing exactly what needed to be done. You can't just get the license plate and think that is all good as they are generally taking the cars to chop shops to get them farmed for parts and metal.
The Thief is the one who is responsible for the deaths not the police and not the chase because he made the decision to run from the police when they tried to pull him over. So the Police pursuing him had nothing to do with the deaths he is to be blamed for them because he is the one that made the decision to try and run away after getting caught. I hope he gets to spend a good long time behind bars.
1 person likes this
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
20 Jun 12
High speed police chases are a very controversial topic. As I told a responder ahead of you, ABC news and Nightline had a segment of high speed police chases yesterday.
I am inclined to agree with you that the vehicle thief is the one responsible for this very sad outcome but the family of the deceased and others see it differently. They are speaking out about the police continuing a high speed chase.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
21 Jun 12
That is because they want to place blame on someone and for what ever reason they don't understand that the Police had little choice without having a bird in the sky. The Police have to maintain contact with the Criminal unless their is an bird in the sky who can keep tabs on him. I mean I am sure the person who got their car jacked would disagree with the family.
The family can disagree all they want but having a law that says police can't engage in High Speed chases would mean I could rob a bank and as Long as I have a fast get away car I can get away with it.
@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
17 Jun 12
I think, no, for cases like that. Police should be aseertive in dealing with this cases. In order not to drive away the thief and may eventually result to other casualties while in pursuit. It will only make that ugly thing uglier. Thanks
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
18 Jun 12
I have tried to comment twice but got a message saying unable to post. I am testing this before I try again.
