Rethinking Police Pursuit Safety

Fifteen Forever Blog

 

Imagine a quiet street suddenly turning into a scene of horror as a high-speed police chase, all to stop a nonviolent suspect, ends in a fiery crash. Innocent bystanders, unaware of the approaching danger, suffer severe head and body trauma as flames engulf them. Some never make it, while others remain in a vegetative state or endure life-altering injuries requiring round-the-clock care.

This heartbreaking reality has persisted for over a century, tracing back to the days before the first Model-T rolled off Ford’s assembly line in 1913 (pictured below). And yet, here we are, repeating the same mistakes.

Each new tragedy strengthens my conviction that those with the power to enact change remain passive, viewing these innocent lives as mere collateral damage. It’s time to challenge our law enforcement leaders to use safer methods.

  1. We must demand that our legislators enact just laws to protect innocent bystanders.
  2. Our judges must end the all-too-common practice of granting bail to fleeing drivers—drivers who wield a car as a deadly weapon.
  3. We should never consider the deaths of innocent victims of police pursuits as acceptable collateral damage.

Most important, these deaths are no accident.

We must invest in comprehensive officer pursuit training and advanced pursuit reduction technologies. This includes upgrading communication systems, fostering interagency cooperation, and employing more detectives to conduct investigations to capture these suspects another way—a safer way.

I’ve spoken to families of innocent victims, and we agree that one of the most painful truths is witnessing the slow pace of progress, while these deadly chases continue to leave behind a trail of needless suffering.

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It's Two a Day—Killed by Police Pursuit Crashes. More than 1/3 of those killed are innocent bystanders.

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