High speed police pursuits, be allowed?

[338 dude]

Wife and cruising on Georgia expressway, 70mph (legal speed). Some kind of Hellcat came by us like we were standing still, pursued by three police cars, almost bumper to bumper. Weaving in and out of traffic. All were gone in the blink of an eye!

Sure, lights and sirens, but really scary. Should I have tried to dodge? But in retrospect if I had tried to dodge, could we have been hit by the chasee or chassor? I wonder how many innocent bystanders are maimed and killed?

According to the revised policy, an "APD (Atlanta Police Department) officer may engage in a pursuit only if they have direct knowledge that the person fleeing has committed a forcible felony and that the escape of said person would pose imminent danger."

I certainly want bad guys caught and locked up, but . . . . . when I am closely passed by four 4,000 pounds of metal bumper to bumper doing over 150mph inches, feet from me, gives me pause to reflect.

I at 70mph, them at 150mph, we could have been rear ended at a difference of 80mph if we were standing still. . . . . We would not be here!

Don't know if I am in the minority, here, but should police not chase in high speed pursuit. Find other ways without endangering us? I am still shaking over this incident.

Absolutely not, there should not be any high-speed chases! It is more dangerous for everyone in the area. Many people have died during high-speed chases and I'm not talking about the police or the person being chased!
they can get his information and find him later at home at his work, etc.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Absolutely not, there should not be any high-speed chases! It is more dangerous for everyone in the area. Many people have died during high-speed chases and I'm not talking about the police or the person being chased!
they can get his information and find him later at home at his work, etc.

Only problem is, if it is a stolen car, that is being used in multiple drive by's and robberies, there is no way the Officers can know who he is and catch up to him later. Or what about a carjacking that just happened, and there is a child in the backseat, and the Officer is behind him? Tough choice to decide: Let him go, maybe he will eventually pull over and surrender the child, or try to stop him and he wrecks and kills himself or others. Tough decision that an Officer has to make on the spur of the moment, and has to live with his decision the rest of his life. What would you do in that situation? You have 5 seconds to make the decision, not 6 weeks to judge his decision after.

 

[Deputy819]

Tough decision that an Officer has to make on the spur of the moment, and has to live with his decision the rest of his life.

Truer words were never spoken, bro!

 

[338 dude]

Only problem is, if it is a stolen car, that is being used in multiple drive by's and robberies, there is no way the Officers can know who he is and catch up to him later. Or what about a carjacking that just happened, and there is a child in the backseat, and the Officer is behind him? Tough choice to decide: Let him go, maybe he will eventually pull over and surrender the child, or try to stop him and he wrecks and kills himself or others. Tough decision that an Officer has to make on the spur of the moment, and has to live with his decision the rest of his life. What would you do in that situation? You have 5 seconds to make the decision, not 6 weeks to judge his decision after.

They're always extenuating circumstances and plenty of what if's but the fact remains if he is not being chased, he is more than likely not going to try excessive speeds to get away. They're always choppers to track him without him knowing etc that do not involve high speeds and let's not forget cameras at every intersection. There are other ways to find them.

 

[xsn10s]

As a side note in the past felons were taken off the streets when pulled over for a traffic ticket. Many took off to avoid arrest. I can understand the desire to not have high speed pursuits. But I also understand that not punishing criminals only incentivizes their criminal activities. Breaking off from chases means they'll take off at high speeds every time they get lit up to pull over. It's just rewarding them.

 

[popeye]

The judicial system as a whole could use an overhaul.
While transporting a prisoner from our county jail to state prison he and I were talking. He told me that he was looking forward to going back to jail and the structured lifestyle. Keep in mind this guy had 4 children and a couple were teenagers. I cannot comprehend that mentality.
The amount of time someone serves verse the actual sentence is laughable at times. County budgets are strained with housing prisoners awaiting a bed in the state or federal system. Our state owes the county's millions in back pay for housing them.
Once in the system the rate of recidivism is pretty high. The cost of bad actions are not high enough to change the unwanted behavior. We have went to a "hug a thug" mentality.

 

[Laelkhunter]

They're always extenuating circumstances and plenty of what if's but the fact remains if he is not being chased, he is more than likely not going to try excessive speeds to get away. They're always choppers to track him without him knowing etc that do not involve high speeds and let's not forget cameras at every intersection. There are other ways to find them.

Maybe so, but we don't have air support here in South La. Cameras might work if the license # is entered in the system, and it is read by a camera (which in my jurisdiction we only have 30 cameras, definitely not at every intersection). There are many switched plates, counterfeit temp tags, etc that won't provide the info required to locate the individual later. In a perfect world, no chases, the criminal complies, doesn't fight/resist, etc Those days are long gone unfortunately. If it were my child in the back seat of my wife's carjacked vehicle, I would want the Officers to pursue. BUT that is a decision made by me, you could be different if it was your child.

 

[Laelkhunter]

..... Breaking off from chases means they'll take off at high speeds every time they get lit up to pull over. It's just rewarding them.

Exactly !! And when they take off at high speed, they will still continue driving at high speed whether they are being pursued or not. Most of the time they are in it for the thrill which is the high speeds and reckless driving.

 

[Laelkhunter]

..... We have went to a "hug a thug" mentality.

Yes it has. Hug a thug and defund the Police. Sounds like Kamala's new slogan (not really new, she said it a while back).

 

[GSRetrievers]

Wife and cruising on Georgia expressway, 70mph (legal speed). Some kind of Hellcat came by us like we were standing still, pursued by three police cars, almost bumper to bumper. Weaving in and out of traffic. All were gone in the blink of an eye!

Sure, lights and sirens, but really scary. Should I have tried to dodge? But in retrospect if I had tried to dodge, could we have been hit by the chasee or chassor? I wonder how many innocent bystanders are maimed and killed?

According to the revised policy, an "APD (Atlanta Police Department) officer may engage in a pursuit only if they have direct knowledge that the person fleeing has committed a forcible felony and that the escape of said person would pose imminent danger."

I certainly want bad guys caught and locked up, but . . . . . when I am closely passed by four 4,000 pounds of metal bumper to bumper doing over 150mph inches, feet from me, gives me pause to reflect.

I at 70mph, them at 150mph, we could have been rear ended at a difference of 80mph if we were standing still. . . . . We would not be here!

Don't know if I am in the minority, here, but should police not chase in high speed pursuit. Find other ways without endangering us? I am still shaking over this incident.

70mph on the interstate anywhere in Georgia is creeping along. They know one speed and when I go through GA I am able to clean out all of the fuel injectors. Going 70, you'll more than likely get passed by everyone else doing 90+

 

[Laelkhunter]

I forgot to mention regarding the left lane sleepers, we have a law in Louisiana which is called Rolling Roadblock. It is State Statute 32:73.1 called "Rolling Roadblock". It is when a driver stays in the left lane of a multi lane highway and does not pull over to the right lane after passing another vehicle. Left lane is the Passing Lane, right lane is the travel lane. So, if you are driving along in the left lane and don't pull over into the right lane when it is safe to do so, you are violating the "Rolling Roadblock" statute. The fine is $750 if I remember correctly. Not sure about any other state, but it is enforced in Louisiana.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I forgot to mention regarding the left lane sleepers, we have a law in Louisiana which is called Rolling Roadblock. It is State Statute 32:73.1 called "Rolling Roadblock". It is when a driver stays in the left lane of a multi lane highway and does not pull over to the right lane after passing another vehicle. Left lane is the Passing Lane, right lane is the travel lane. So, if you are driving along in the left lane and don't pull over into the right lane when it is safe to do so, you are violating the "Rolling Roadblock" statute. The fine is $750 if I remember correctly. Not sure about any other state, but it is enforced in Louisiana.

My buddy was pulled over by the NJ State Police. He was driving in the left lane and was moving along. The Trooper tells him that he followed him for 1 mile and he never left the lane. Apparently in NJ, on any 3 lane highway, the left lane is for passing only. I think my buddy was literally pasing everyone but you sure wouldn't tell a Trooper that.

 

[Deputy819]

There are many switched plates, counterfeit temp tags, etc that won't provide the info required to locate the individual later.

Yep…and as I'm sure you're aware…the tag only provides the registered owners info….which MAY NOT (and probably isn't) be the operator of the vehicle.

Going 70, you'll more than likely get passed by everyone else doing 90+

^^^THIS^^^^ I commute to my jurisdiction and have to travel through another county to get there (in a marked cruiser). You wouldn't believe how many people pass me on the interstate and don't even think twice about it.

So, if you are driving along in the left lane and don't pull over into the right lane when it is safe to do so, you are violating the "Rolling Roadblock" statute. The fine is $750 if I remember correctly. Not sure about any other state, but it is enforced in Louisiana.

GAWD, I wish we had that here!!!

 

[GSRetrievers]

Yep…and as I'm sure you're aware…the tag only provides the registered owners info….which MAY NOT (and probably isn't) be the operator of the vehicle.

^^^THIS^^^^ I commute to my jurisdiction and have to travel through another county to get there (in a marked cruiser). You wouldn't believe how many people pass me on the interstate and don't even think twice about it.

GAWD, I wish we had that here!!!

I've seen cars blowing the doors off Georgia highway patrol around Atlanta and the trooper was doing 15 over because I was pacing behind him.