2 Killed in Georga high speed chase -- police technique questioned

[FoRNiK8ToR]

Now I happen to believe police should be able to chase....but for serious crimes (murder. kidnapping, **** etc.)

how do you know what crimes they've committed without pulling them over? just b/c they're currently driving under suspension doesn't mean that they didn't murder someone too... you also can't necessarily be sure that just b/c the plates say they're registered to a suspended driver that the person currently driving the car is that person. for all the cops know it coulda been someone who just killed the owner and hijacked the car.

The cops more than likely had a license plate number and descriptions of the individuals. Why chase someone for a minor offense. Couldn't they have just backed off and caught up to them later? The cops put others in danger by chasing this person FOR 66 MILES! I'm pretty sure had they called the chase off...these individuals wouldn't have driven like straight assholes for 66 miles.

by your logic, all a person with a 'minor' offense has to do to get away is run away. well what happens when you let him go and catch up with him later and he runs again? everytime the cops come he'll just run and you would never get him because you say it's better to let him go. of course this all assumes you can even find the person later. tracing the plates won't always work (ie stolen car)

 

[SeminoleMan]

I'd be pissed at the criminal. Not the cops.

Not picking on you....but come on man. How can you honestly say you wouldn't be pissed because a cop contributed to the death of a family member by chasing someone for 66 miles at breakneck speeds far above what the ticket would have been issued for? She went faster cause she was being chased. No family member of mine is worth a speeding ticket.

I wouldn't place full blame on the cops, but would harbor mad resentment towards them for contributing to the death. I don't think the cops will be prosecuted, but their actions will be scrutinized for sure.

 

[SeminoleMan]

how do you know what crimes they've committed without pulling them over? just b/c they're currently driving under suspension doesn't mean that they didn't murder someone too... you also can't necessarily be sure that just b/c the plates say they're registered to a suspended driver that the person currently driving the car is that person. for all the cops know it coulda been someone who just killed the owner and hijacked the car.



by your logic, all a person with a 'minor' offense has to do to get away is run away. well what happens when you let him go and catch up with him later and he runs again? everytime the cops come he'll just run and you would never get him because you say it's better to let him go. of course this all assumes you can even find the person later. tracing the plates won't always work (ie stolen car)

You can still pursue people without being right on their ass. IE my helicopter suggestion, pacing from a distance using unmarked cars...something most agencies are good at. Radios work wonderfully too....The cops could have notified other agencies using an APB and still kept track of the individuals. They can't run forever.

 

[DeanSweet]

typical red vs. blue here.. there really is no good or proper answer to this debate. people could get hurt/maimed or killed of either running or stopping. Consequences are an unknown until they happen and since we are all humans we make decisions at the moment they are absolutely neccessary we have to deal with them as we see fit. It is truly unfortunate they died and I wish condolences to their famileis and friends...

 

[+ friction]

Not picking on you....but come on man. How can you honestly say you wouldn't be pissed because a cop contributed to the death of a family member by chasing someone for 66 miles at breakneck speeds far above what the ticket would have been issued for? She went faster cause she was being chased. No family member of mine is worth a speeding ticket.

I wouldn't place full blame on the cops, but would harbor mad resentment towards them for contributing to the death. I don't think the cops will be prosecuted, but their actions will be scrutinized for sure.

I read an article about this yesterday, and the driver's father was far from pissed at the cops.

 

[billzebub]

^ True dat. (in regards to what Dean said)

 

[norman]

The cops more than likely had a license plate number and descriptions of the individuals. Why chase someone for a minor offense. Couldn't they have just backed off and caught up to them later? The cops put others in danger by chasing this person FOR 66 MILES! I'm pretty sure had they called the chase off...these individuals wouldn't have driven like straight assholes for 66 miles.

Now I happen to believe police should be able to chase....but for serious crimes (murder. kidnapping, **** etc.) I say this only because studies have shown that flashing lights and sirens actually make some people more aggravated and dangerous. Most normal people would pull over. Some people, mostly out of fear, react adversely to the flashing lights and sirens.

A little more judgement would have be in order for the sake of public safety. Sometimes you have to know whether the person you are chasing is really a danger to society or if you are making them more of a danger by chasing them.

BTW....Georgia, especially COBB County, has earned a reputation for extremely aggressive police policies. Their intent is admirable, but if it puts others in danger or cost someone their lives (criminal or not) then policies need to be reconsidered.

One thing, the police do not know at that time what offense the person they are chasing has committed and they will never know for sure until after the chase is over. These 2 people, girls or not, could have just killed someone and were running in fear that the body had been found. They would have the information that the license was suspended and yes poeple do run for this minor offense but there is always the possibility of a worse reason.
Another issue is that the girl grew up in Cobb County, she should know the reputation and practices of the police there and that is all the more reason to just pull over.

I can only blame the people who run, they are "adults" and are making their own decisions be them right or wrong. They did this to themselves, the police were not to blame. Also remember, there are more sides to the story than what we are seeing.

*my error, I should have read the article first and saw that they weren't from that area. I still stand by my opinion, plus this enforces it more. Had I been the police officer I would suspect something serious about people who are from another state, running from the police thru 2 different states.*

 

[+ friction]

Wouldn't you at least put on a seatbelt if you were being chased at over 100mph??

 

[stdntDrvr]

i, personally, am against cops pursuing someone that runs. most of the time it ends with innocent victims getting hurt/killed and the person running able to walk away. why the hell did they follow this girl for 66 miles? were they waiting on her to run out of gas? how ****** up is that? cops are way too eager to chase someone down for the stupidest s***. oh no! failure to yeild! let's have a 100mph chase through this school-zone. i can understand if it's a serious crime, but come on. the police had PLENTY of time to run that girl's plates, see who owned the car...if it wasn't her, contact the owner and see wtf was going on.

and as far as the whole cops are aggressive drivers...i LOVE for one to get on my ass...it's fun to tap the brakes or cruise around 60 mph in 4th and let off the gas...you get interesting looks out of them. if they hit me, it's their fault...and if they pull me over for it, "you didn't see that dog?...geez, i almost nailed it!"

well, that's just my .02...no need to flame me or anything, you won't change my opinion, but you will make yourself look like an ass.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

GUYS...my license has been suspended TWICE & both times it was for not paying a ticket. The 2nd time the ticket was just for not being able to find my insurance card. Having a suspended license doesn't mean that you did something horrible.

 

[changedman]

The officer was correct in stopping the pursuit after that amount of time. Usually they attempt to get the car to fishtail, I think that is what he was trying to do.

I totally agree with what the officer did.

I find it respectful that the father agreed: The former police officer said he doesn't blame authorities for his daughter's death. "I have to believe they did everything they did in the right way," he said.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

It should be manditory to impound your car when they suspend your license and you get it back when you get your license back. Better yet, if they catch you driving during your suspension they should cease your car and auction it off; no if ands ors or buts. You broke the rules now pay.

WTF are you smoking? (boom02) My license was suspended the 1st time because I didn't have a job & couldn't afford to pay the speeding ticket. I don't deny that it was my fault for getting into the situation, but I had to drive to go to school & find a job to earn $$. How in the world do you justify impounding my car or even auctioning it off because of that? Think about that...what you said is beyond stupid.

 

[changedman]

black- but it means you can't drive.
Not only was she driving recklessly, too fast for conditions, driving on a suspended license, and reckelessly endangering other drivers, but she never even slowed down- she sped up! WTF?!

Her dad was a cop. She should have known better.

 

[changedman]

i disagree chuyler. Thats a bit excessive.

 

[changedman]

<< CJ Major, emph in law enforcement

 

[Black Majik MSP]

FWIW, my friend works for BSO & he said that they aren't allowed to chase anyone going over 100 & I think that makes sense because the Sheriff cars are usually in residential or highly populated areas. I think that FHP probably WOULD chase you, but that's because they stick to the highway & are trained to deal with chases. It seems like these cops did exactly what they were trained to do. It's unfortunate that someone would run because they were speeding.

Not that I think it's the right thing to do, but if they were smart, they would have switched places to make it look like the 17 year old was driving. Even if they did it after running from the cops, being a minor would have probably gotten her out of any major legal trouble.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

black- but it means you can't drive.
Not only was she driving recklessly, too fast for conditions, driving on a suspended license, and reckelessly endangering other drivers, but she never even slowed down- she sped up! WTF?!

Her dad was a cop. She should have known better.

I agree with everything you said, but sometimes driving is your only option. I was at least smart enough to drive like a normal person while my license was suspended so that I wouldn't be pulled over.

 

[changedman]

absoultely.

and policy on chases is dramactially changing, thats correct. Many departments set certain strict standards, which dramatically cuts down the number of chases.

 

[changedman]

switching places would have easily been detected by police. thats so very easy to see.

 

[timba24]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040818_2327.html

The same result could happen to an SUV if they laid spikes on the ground (something the Georga Police prolly don't have handy anyway).

why would you say georgia police wouldnt have spikes or stop sticks handy? its not like the south is some lost state with lack of all technology or anything