On Wed, 02 May 2007 17:16:56 -0700, Ashton Crusher >
wrote:

>On Wed, 02 May 2007 13:01:58 -0700, GILL > wrote:
>
>>Spike wrote:
>>> On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:35:34 -0500,
>>> (Brent P) wrote:
>>>
>>>> In article >, dwight wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> In this particular case, this 19 year old kid could have chosen to pull over
SNIP
>>runners just go?
>
>Guess what. Some places have done that. Guess what, nothing happens
>any different there as far as their overall crime rate. IOW, the
>change in policy had no effect other then to eliminate the deadly
>police chases thereby lessening the chance of INNOCENT bystanders
>being killed. The change in policy did NOT increase the number of
>times people tried to run from the cops. And in most cases they get
>the guy anyway, just not thru a dangerous pursuit.
>
> It is stupid for the cops to be engaging in high speed pursuits for
>anything other then things like going after a known murderer. Going
>after a guy because "he's driving fast and might kill someone" is
>absurd on it's face. You don't increase safety by encouraging someone
>to engage in MORE unsafe acts.

>I say let the police do their job with FULL regard for the safety of
>others they might endanger. There are VERY few instances where a high
>speed pursuit is warranted.

Now we are supposed to be mind readesr? If someone is going to run for
a simple traffic infraction, how are cops supposed to know why? Is it
because they just killed their cheating girlfriend, robbed a 7/11, or
whatever? Afterall, the girls body may not be found for a few days.

People run for the stupidest reasons... "because I didn't have my
license with me", "because I had a joint in my purse", or the one I
really liked was, "because I didn't know if you were really a cop"
(marked vehicle, gumballs, siren). As for pursuits, someone who is
whacked out on drugs, drunk, mentally ill, or even a diabetic in
insulin shock, has no idea what they are doing. Doesn't matter if
there is a cop present or not. They'll roll right through an
intersection they didn't see, or a school zone filled with kids, or
even down the wrong side of the freeway. Of course they also run
because they news choppers have put them on TV for their 15 minutes of
fame. Want to lower the rates of chases? Pass a law which prohibits
the news choppers from making a chase a big production for the evening
news. Many of the idiots being chased have been filmed waving to the
choppers.... like 'hey, momma and you homies, look at me!'

But you'd say just let them go and get them later. Want to explain
that to the families of the people they happen to kill? One night I
had to have one of my best friends relieved of duty in order to
explain to him how a drunk crossed the centerline and hit his wife
head on, killing her, their son, and their unborn child. The drunk
survived. And he wasn't being chased.

Then you'll see someone driving like a nut, at speed, who cuts you off
and you'll complain because the cop you see cruising behind you didn't
do anything.