Police Car Chases

[Tony-Bones]

In view of the five people killed Monday it makes you ponder whether chasing stolen cars is really worth the risk to the general public or indeed the Police.

I offer no alternative other than more use of stop-sticks combined with helicopters and better technology that can truly immobilize a car.

We can assume the cost is a contributing factor toward prevention by using more helicopters but doesnt this fall into insignificance when you consider each road death costs around a million pounds to the taxpayer.

Personally i feel murder and bank robbery is justifiable for the Police to take chase.. But simple car crime in my opinion is not justifiable to the jeperdize public safety.

Off box now...... What do you think?

[RayKhan]

Hampshire Police are suggesting that any failure to stop should be a custodial offense and therefore hopefully minimise the amount of chases.

I think the Police need to use their discretion and generally I think they do.

[janey]

In view of the five people killed Monday it makes you ponder whether chasing stolen cars is really worth the risk to the general public or indeed the Police.

But simple car crime in my opinion is not justifiable to the jeperdize public safety.

Surely car crime does jeopordise public safety, both pedestrians & other drivers, from car jacking to TWOCing, the scum who nick cars don't care about public safety, all they are interested in is getting hold of some wheels & driving like a loon no matter what, and not giving a monkeys what other cars or even people they hit, then usually ending up dumped in a ditch or wrapped round a lampost before running off and leaving the police etc to pick up the pieces

Hampshire Police are suggesting that any failure to stop should be a custodial offense and therefore hopefully minimise the amount of chases.

But wouldn't that only work if it was the actual owner of the car comitting the driving offence, its usually the ones who have either nicked the car who give them the grief.

[IanCornwall]

If you commit a crime and run away, should the police give chase or say never mind we will let you escape so that you can do it again ?

Nope if you commit a crime then it is the Polices job to arrest you, and the courts job to try you and convict or acquit you, and if you can run or drive faster then them it does not make you innocent, it just makes you not arrested so you can do it all again

The main problem with Police car chases is that the villain nicks a nice powerful car and the police have to give chase in a rubbish Ford Focus 1.6 diesel, no wonder the damn things crash as they are on the limit, I believe that this tragic crash involved a 4x4 patrol vehicle, great for carrying cones and escaped dogs, crap for high speed chases

The main problem actually in my mind isn't about car chases or crime it is about punishment

They nick a car or commit a crime because they know even if caught, they will be on bail in an hour and a few hours community service, well whooopee do, what a deterent ? not at all

If they were kept in custody in a cell until the trial and a sensible punishment dished out then they would think twice about actually doing the crime

I hear of the rights of the criminal and it makes me sick, Protect the victims, when you commit and are convicted of a crime you should give up those rights as you have been given are taken away

On Police cars in USA they used to have written "To Serve and Protect", now even that has been taken off as being provocative

In the UK the judges are told, don't send them to jail even if they deserve it, we haven't got room, bugga that build more prisons or put them 6 to a cell

[oldcro]

In view of the five people killed Monday it makes you ponder whether chasing stolen cars is really worth the risk to the general public or indeed the Police.

I offer no alternative other than more use of stop-sticks combined with helicopters and better technology that can truly immobilize a car.

We can assume the cost is a contributing factor toward prevention by using more helicopters but doesnt this fall into insignificance when you consider each road death costs around a million pounds to the taxpayer.

Personally i feel murder and bank robbery is justifiable for the Police to take chase.. But simple car crime in my opinion is not justifiable to the jeperdize public safety.

Off box now...... What do you think?

In the recent incident near Newport on the M4, the police stopped chasing the morons car as soon as it drove into the wrong side of the motorway. Yet they continued driving like maniacs against the flow of traffic and caused the death of two innocent people when they crashed into their car. So the police did everything in a sensible and thoughtfull manner so full marks to them. The tossers in the stolen car got all they deserved.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

They should have a stunner for cars, fire it from 10 metres. Sure they have them in some states in the USA.