Should all high speed police chases be outlawed?

[ecstatic]

Should the police be prohibited from engaging in high speed chases? I think so. What do you think?

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

1. It's irrelevant

The guns on their belts are what kill people. I'd say take the guns away before you outlaw high speed chases.

[MemphisTiger]

4. Not when the officers crash their cars into civilians

then thier weapon is their car

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

6. I'm saying, statistically

People get shot wrongfully by cops on a weekly basis. Chases kill people too, but not nearly as much. They shouldn't chase anyone but the most wanted suspects, IMO, or people directly suspected of a serious violent crime.

Mainly, I like the idea of an unarmed cop better. He would have to be a much better sort of person, like the gunless cops in England. He would have to be calm and polite and civilized and a natural negotiator.

[Ripley]

10. You're kidding right?

You really expect police officers to be unarmed when they go arrest a criminal or go into a hostage situation or robbery or whatever where there is an armed person?

Yes, certain cop jobs could be handled without a gun, but you seem to want to punish all officers for the few bad ones.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

11. I'm saying

No cop should be patrolling with a gun, ever. Special gun cops should be sent for gun cop situations.

[Ripley]

12. But what if the patrolling cops come across a crime in progress?

Should they ignore it since they are unarmed? Call in for a gun-cop?

The police need better oversight to punish their own who are sadistic thugs who abuse their power. But it's suicide to send cops "out there" unarmed.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

13. Cops don't stop crimes

They drive around, eat for free, hit on chicks, and violate the Constitution to fill quotas. At least in the America I've lived in my whole life. I don't know what fantasyland you're in thinking that cops protect you from crime. A witness is better protection than an armed thug. A homeless dude is more likely to stop a crime in progress.

[Ripley]

15. Oh, I see you are one of those "all cops are pigs" people.

Ta ta.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

16. No I'm not.

I've met cops I like as people. I just disapprove of the way their "work" is structured. I think there are too many, they are overpaid, and they are in the wrong places. Don't twist my words.

[Selatius]

18. Have you lived in the inner-city areas, by any chance?

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

21. Most of my adult life

I've had a death from a high speed chase happen a block from me, but it's nowhere near as frequent as police shootings. They sometimes even shoot each other. It's a mess. We need peacemakers, not more gunslingers.

[SmokingJacket]

2. It's more effective to set up a roadblock and just stop the guy.

And way less dangerous to pedestrians and other motorists.

Some cops had a high-speed chase through our narrow downtown streets recently -- I don't remember what the guy did, but it was minor, certainly not murder or even bank robbery -- and the cops ended up smashing into several parked cars. Thank God there were no people in them...

The guy crashed his car later on, on his way out of town.

[MemphisTiger]

5. We had one for a shoplifting incident, I guess our cops

have been watching too many movies

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Choppers, Airplanes, HIgh Bldg. Surveillance, License Plates

There are lots of ways to follow the perp without chasing him/her at 110 mph. Someone is chased for auto theft, or even armed robbery and an accident kills an innocent bystander or other motorist. Better the perp gets away for a day then for someone else to be killed.
The Professor

[maveric]

3. Follow them by Helicopter till they stop/run out of gas...

then send patrol cars to that area.
Here in Socal the news stations love to cover those idiots thinking that they can get away. They catch them 100% of the time.

[AntiCoup2K4]

7. I would say it depends on the crime

If they're in pursuit of a murderer, child molestor, rapist, or some other violent felon who shouldn't be on the streets, that's one thing.

If it's just a guy with some minor record (i.e.drug charges or whatever) who decided he would rather run from a speeding ticket, then it's not worth it.

And in either case, the cops should keep it out of residential neighborhoods if at all possible.

[Walt Starr]

8. A high speed chase going after somebody who was speeding is ignorant

A high speed chase going after somebody who just axe murdered fifteen people is appropriate.

There are varying degrees between.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. High speed chases are definitely dangerous to civilians, but

if people know that the police will not chase them it certainly gives them an incentive to speed away. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Jara sang]

14. That is sport in Southern California

The "news" interrupts T.V. shows all the time for them, they are ratings boosters.

[GOPisBAD]

19. wrong place

.

[GOPisBAD]

20. If the cops aren't allowed to chase...

...for minor crimes, wouldn't this send a clear message to people with minor crimes that all they have to do to get away is hit the gas?

[GOPisBAD]

22. surely, that wasn't the end all be all comment

to end all conversation.

[kenny blankenship]

23. No, but they should all be videotaped !

And broadcast, so an entire metropolitan area can come to a standstill and watch television while the cops run to ground some fucked up kid or career criminal on live television.

It's good therapy for us! It brings a city together and for one brief shining moment we all get to feel united in the belief that there is someone who is a million times more fucked up than ourselves, someone who is utterly doomed, someone about to die right before our eyes whose evil fate can make us all feel better about our own, if only temporarily.

[ecstatic]

24. I must say I am very shocked by the results

I heard that at least 1 innocent bystander is killed per week in California due to high speed chases. Is this an acceptable statistic? Do we really want our streets to be filled with wannabe Dukes of Hazzards? Reality Check: Most people would NOT run from the police if high speed chases were done away with.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

25. I'm not surprised at all....unfortunately.

[Solar]

26. Under certain circumstances - yes

Those accused of a violent felony need to be arrested as soon as possible. Many departments now 'shadow chase' suspects. They stay on them with a helicopter from a distance with police cars chasing while staying out of sight (IE traveling on a parallel road). Most times suspects are unaware of helicopters. If they don't see police cars behind them, they'll think they got away and slow down to a regular speed. It is important to still have ground units in a chase in case the suspect stops and tries to escape on foot.

Oh and if you think polic officers should not carry guns, I suggest you go on a ride-along with an officer, or better yet, become an officer yourself and see how long you survive in a ghetto.

[Swamp Rat]

27. If George Bush was found guilty of war crimes but he escaped with

Al Cowlings in his white Ford Bronco, I'd say chase his ass down at any speed!