High Speed Chases: Treating A Public Health Problem
by TChris
Unless a law enforcement officer is trying to stop a suspected murderer or other serious felon, there's little reason to engage in a dangerous high speed pursuit when a driver fails to heed a squad car's red and blue lights. It makes no sense to put innocent drivers and pedestrians at risk to stop a common offender when he or she can be arrested more safely at work or at home the next day.
In March, TalkLeft wrote about proposed legislation in California that would repeal a law giving immunity to officers who engage in a reckless pursuit. That bill was introduced after a police officer chased a 15-year-old driver who stole her mother's car. Speeds increased as the girl tried to elude the pursuing officer, until she collided with a van, killing a 15-year-old passenger.
CNN reports (text here, "A police chase gone bad" available in today's "most watched video" section) on the languishing legislation, and on the larger issue of "dinosaur police chiefs" who refuse to adopt policies that would limit the discretion of officers to pursue at high speeds. As this article suggests, high speed chases are "an emerging public health problem," one that accounted for more than 7,000 deaths between 1982 and 2004.
While some cities have adopted policies that prohibit high speed chases of fleeing drivers who aren't known to be dangerous felons, it's still common -- too common -- to read of unwise pursuits.
St. Louis - May 24, 2006: "A high speed police chase lasting for more than 20 minutes through rush hour traffic on eastbound I-70 saw dozens of close calls. ... At one point, they raced by a loaded school bus, and seconds later narrowly missed a collision with other drivers."
Dallas - May 26, 2006: "One man is dead and a police officer hurt after a high speed chase through Dallas."
Monroe County, PA - May 28, 2006: "Wright plowed into a state police cruiser and was taken into custody."
Los Angeles - June 6, 2006: "California Highway Patrol officers were in pursuit of a motorcyclist when the bike hit another vehicle and crashed."
Fremont, CA - June 12, 2006: "High-speed police chase ends in crash" ("One other car was hit during the pursuit, but no one was hurt, the sergeant said.")
Jackson - June 12, 2006: "Driving west on McDowell Road in the stolen late-model Jeep, Dearman and Carson collided with the side of a Nissan Sentra driving north on McFadden Road at 5 p.m. Sunday. WLBT weather forecaster Eric Law and his wife, Cristina Law, were in the other vehicle. They were taken to Central Mississippi Medical Center. Eric Law has a broken collarbone, and Cristina has a broken leg and other injuries. She was moved out of intensive care this morning, but neither have been released, said Dan Modisett, WLBT's general manager."
Nolanville, TX - June 12, 2006: "A Nolanville police officer was injured Monday at the end of a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles an hour."
Houston - June 13, 2006: "Police chase leads to crash at Lockwood exit."
Jacksonville - June 13, 2006: "Man Arrested After Two-County Pursuit Ends In Head-On Crash"
San Antonio - June 14, 2006: "San Antonio police and Lackland security forces made three arrests, but not before the chase stirred up quite a commotion, disrupting three flights and damaging about 100 feet of fence line and a Port Authority of San Antonio security car [after they drove onto an airport runway]."
Syracuse - June 14, 2006: "Carncross is accused of being the motorcyclist involved in a high-speed chase with State Trooper Craig Todeschini. Todeschini crashed his SUV in the chase, and was killed."
Frederick, MD - June 14, 2006: "A Frederick man who led police on a high speed chase and killed a motorcyclist back in November will spend some time behind bars."
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