high speed chases

[lonewolf]

ok,everyonce in awhile,while flipping through the channels,i'll come upon the show about high speed chase videos,while some pple find them entertaining,i don't,i just can't beleive teh stupidity of the pple on those videos.

But the reason i posted this is to ask the LEO's on this forum,some questions,

have you ever been involved in a high speed chase and when do you decide that it's time to break it off and catch the person later,ie,when do you decide that the risk of some innocent bystander getting injured outweighs the need to catch the offender?

[USAF_2T2]

I have been in 2 chases. They can be fun, hectic, and dangerous at the same time. Factors I use to continue/discontinue a chase will vary by several factors.

Continue:
-very light traffic
-the safety of me and those around me (if the violator is just speeding I may continue, but if he is reckless and endangering others I may cut it off)
-Violation that led to the chase

There are many more, but those are factors that just popped in my head.

Discontinue:
-Location, more than likely to discontinue in a residental area
-weather, slef explanatory
-school zones, while children are in school
-if I know the person and will see them again (usually repeat customers)

There are many factors that go into a chase. If it is 3 am on a Wednesday morning you can bet I will be chasing until called off. Now Wednesday at 3 pm is a totally different thing as children and teenagers are getting out of school and near the roadways.

If the person is wanted for murder you can rest assured almost all factors listed above will be discarded and we will chase until the wheels fall off.

[Crystal Pistol]

have you ever been involved in a high speed chase and when do you decide that it's time to break it off and catch the person later,ie,when do you decide that the risk of some innocent bystander getting injured outweighs the need to catch the offender?

Been in quite a few.

Here, it's an individual matter of judgement with us. We hope the officer uses the good judgement that was hopefully instilled in him during training ...
... and hopefully, which was augmented by the good mentoring of older officers as they share experince and the lessons learned over the years.

Myself ? ...
... I break it off if I decide to after considering the danger to the public at large first, danger to me second, and danger to the fleeing violator or perp last and least. I also mix into the equation the seriousness of the offense for which I am chasing them and whether or not I may be able to locate or identify the person later.

In other words, :thinking: I might ask myself questions "such as, but not limited to" .............

Is it night or day?

What is the weather?

What kind of road are we on?

What kind of shape is the road in?

How much gas have I got?

How do I feel? (tummyache, headache, etc ...)

Are the roads deserted, or crowded?

Are there any densly populated areas immediately ahead?

What is the offense ... or offenses ... as I know them to be?

Can I identify the driver later?

Can I identify the vehicle later?

What're the chances of locating either later?

How're my tires?

How're my brakes holding up?

Have I got any other units in position to help?

Are stingers a viable option? ... if so, where?

What am I chasing anyways (car,truck, motorcycle, atv, skateboard, stroller)?

Do we need a sniper (radiator work maybe) at an overpass?

How is the perp driving? Is he/she being especially reckless or are they showing some concern for others?

Are the best interest of society best served by cutting it off or continuing with it?

Have I "skeered the chit" out of myself yet? :yikes:

"And on and on" .... as a chase is filled with questions one asks him / herself over and over. Yes, I have terminated a few when I felt it was time to do so, and stuck with others to the end. ;)

Been lucky quite a few times too. :cool:

[MoonRunner]

I have been in several over the years but the prevailing attitude now with several agencies, mine included, is that they must meet specific guidelines prior to engaging in the chase. 1st. The violator must have been involved in a forcible felony. Just because he was speeding does not give you the right to chase. 2nd the conditions that exist at the time. Wheather, traffic, assistance, direction of travel, is the person headed to a populated area. etc etc. Can we deploy stop sticks or have one of our helicopters follow the vehicle. As CP said, do we know who the violator is.

Many more issues come in to play during the event and each is different. While chases are fun, it is not worth it to endanger the public and yourself for a minor violation.

Just my opinion, Thanks

[Wrongway]

It's not easy to outrun the radio.