California Law Aims to Limit Police Chases

[Kizzy]

Wednesday, April 14, 2004



LOS ANGELES — Thousands of times each year across the country drivers try to outrun cops — most fail, many die, but those who flee aren't just harming themselves.

A new study says that one-third of police pursuit fatalities are innocent bystanders like 15-year-old Kristie Priano, who was killed when a car being pursued by police struck her family's minivan.

Her death prompted California state Sen. Sam Aanestad (search), R-Grass Valley, to put forth a measure that would limit police chases to cases in which the public is in immediate danger.

"It just makes no sense to run after people ... and risk the lives of those who are caught in the way," Aanestad said.



But Chris Madigan of the California Highway Patrol (search) said police can't just stand by while criminals drive off.

"We're not just gonna wave goodbye and hope the person has a nice day," he said. "We're going to engage in a pursuit."

Most departments across the country have their own pursuit policies in place. In Los Angeles County, deputies only chase felons on a case-by-case basis.

The new law would have even more teeth, opening police to civil lawsuits if someone is killed or injured and police say if that was the case they'd stop chasing all together.

"They'd have no fear of being stopped by anybody," Madigan said of criminals on the run. "All they'd have to do is speed up a little bit."

Article

 

[vraiblonde]

"We're not just gonna wave goodbye and hope the person has a nice day," he said. "We're going to engage in a pursuit."

Exactly. That's why these chase law proposals are so retarded. If they'd make it so cops could shoot you in the head if you try and outrun them, I'll bet you'd see a dramatic decrease in police chases.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Exactly. That's why these chase law proposals are so retarded. If they'd make it so cops could shoot you in the head if you try and outrun them, I'll bet you'd see a dramatic decrease in police chases.

Remember when "STOP! Or I'll SHOOT!" actually meant something.


I've heard that in California an effective threat is: "Parada! Lanzaré mi perro!"


Stop - or I'm sending the dog!

 

[Tonio]

Maybe we could equip the police helicopters with Hellfire missiles.

 

[Kizzy]

Originally posted by Toxick


Stop - or I'm sending the dog!

I was on a ride-a-long back in the late 80's. The K-9 Officer yelled "surrender or I'm sending in the dog" sure enough the 2 guys came running out of the woods screaming like a #####, no don't, we surrender.

 

[Warron]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Exactly. That's why these chase law proposals are so retarded. If they'd make it so cops could shoot you in the head if you try and outrun them, I'll bet you'd see a dramatic decrease in police chases.

It depends on what you consider a greater benefit to society. Arresting some guy for driving on a suspended license or protecting innocent bystanders from being t-boned by a runner (or even a police car) doing 120 mph.

Your opinion sort of reminds me of the John Dillinger days of policing. Where police killed and injured as many, if not more people, then the criminals they were trying to catch.

 

[Kizzy]

The person behind the wheel could be wanted on a felony, have guns, have drugs in the vehicle, whatever, but until you get the car stopped and searched, you really have no clue why they are running or what kind of frame of mind they are in. Only a Monday morning quarterback would say all that for a suspended license. I think this is a Catch 22 situation, what if that speeding car that wouldn't pull over and the police weren't allowed to chase went to a local shopping center and shot say 5 people dead, then how would you look at this?

I think that limiting the police from going after a fleeing vehicle only puts the ball in the criminals court.

 

[Warron]

>>you really have no clue why they are running <<

Exactly. You can't assume that the person in the car is a mass murderer as justification for putting the lives of the public at risk. When you engage in a chase you do know that you are putting the public at risk, you don't know why the car is running. Should you make your decission on what you do know or what you are guessing?

I don't have any documented facts, but its my opinion and observation that most runners do it for stupid reasons that are not worth the risk to the public caused by a chase. Suspended license was just one example. Only a known significant risk to life by the runner is worth the risk to life that results from a chase.

 

[vraiblonde]

Warron, I'm speechless that you say to just let all criminals go, and that IS what you're saying. If criminals know they can get away simply by speeding up a bit, you're going to see a lot more of it.

I truly do not understand your attitude of letting the law-breakers have all the advantages and letting them run around unfettered, no matter what they do.

But then, you're the same guy that thought some perv should be able to sit in a library in front of little kids and jerk off while looking at porno movies so..... :shrug:

 

[Vince]

Originally posted by Warron
>>you really have no clue why they are running <<

Exactly. You can't assume that the person in the car is a mass murderer as justification for putting the lives of the public at risk. When you engage in a chase you do know that you are putting the public at risk, you don't know why the car is running. Should you make your decission on what you do know or what you are guessing?

I don't have any documented facts, but its my opinion and observation that most runners do it for stupid reasons that are not worth the risk to the public caused by a chase. Suspended license was just one example. Only a known significant risk to life by the runner is worth the risk to life that results from a chase.

And if that runner with just the suspended license runs over your kid, then what? The police should chase each and everyone of them down. If they run, they're idiots and if they run for some stupid reason like they're drunk, etc. , they're even more stupid and need to be off the road anyway. I think we tie the cops hands with some of these stupid laws. A cop has to hesistate to shoot someone nowadays because they're afraid of being brought up on charges. Dayum, you read about this stuff all the time and it makes me sick. The cops shoot someone committing a crime and the family is bringing a law suit against them. It's such a bunch of BS.

 

[Tonio]

I'm certainly no police expert, but I suspect that police chases are very dangerous to others on the highway. Not the OJ 20mph type, but the deranged felon fleeing at NASCAR speeds. In all seriousness, what's wrong with using some long-range weapon to disable or even blow up the car?

 

[Kizzy]

Originally posted by Tonio
I'm certainly no police expert, but I suspect that police chases are very dangerous to others on the highway. Not the OJ 20mph type, but the deranged felon fleeing at NASCAR speeds. In all seriousness, what's wrong with using some long-range weapon to disable or even blow up the car?

Because we can rehabilitate them to be fine upstanding citizens in society.

 

[Larry Gude]

Hold on hear...

It depends on what you consider a greater benefit to society. Arresting some guy for driving on a suspended license

So we make it clear, publicly, that it's OK to run from the cops. Go home, ditch the evidence, we'll catch up with you later?

You can't assume that the person in the car is a mass murderer as justification for putting the lives of the public at risk. When you engage in a chase you do know that you are putting the public at risk, you don't know why the car is running. Should you make your decission on what you do know or what you are guessing?

Quick test:

Who's responsible for 9/11?

A. Bush
B. Clinton
C. Usama

When someone runs THEY are putting people at risk and as far as I am concerned, you should be put to death for running from the law. Those chases make my skin crawl when some poor Smoe gets nuked at an intersection taking his kid to practice.

If they'd make it so cops could shoot you in the head if you try and outrun them, I'll bet you'd see a dramatic decrease in police chases.

I'm with that.

Drinking and driving you are potentially gona hurt someone. When you blast through town at 100 mph, it's a matter of time.

Armed snipers in the police helo. They'll get a chance when it's safe, open road, perp stops to cahnge directions.

Blam through the engine block with a .50

Offer ONE valid reason to RUN from the cops?

 

[Warron]

>>But then, you're the same guy that thought some perv should be able to sit in a library in front of little kids and jerk off while looking at porno movies so..... <<

Actually, I seem to recall that being your view. Along with whining about fog lights.

There are multiple methods for police to capture criminals without putting the public at more risk then the criminals themselves do. I will never understand the attitude of capturing the criminal at all cost, regardless of how many innocent people you hurt along the way. The police are there to protect the public, not put them more at risk.

 

[Kizzy]

There are multiple methods for police to capture criminals without putting the public at more risk then the criminals themselves do. I will never understand the attitude of capturing the criminal at all cost, regardless of how many innocent people you hurt along the way. The police are there to protect the public, not put them more at risk.

And they are?

Oh wait, take the tag number down, run it, check the residence, hope that somebody will say yeah it was me driving and I ran because I had to pee really bad and didn't have time to be bothered with the ticket thing right now.

Oh, ok.

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by Warron
Actually, I seem to recall that being your view.

Is that a fact?

http://forums.somd.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1615

 

[Warron]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Is that a fact?

It's a fact that your statement was in no way similar to any opinion that I have ever expressed, so it must have been your own opinon.