Banning police chase after crash - justified or not?

[Argeus the Paladin]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...22/2852118.htm

Scott Oppelaar, 33, his partner Samantha Ford, 29, and their four-month-old son Brody died when their car was hit by a stolen car at a Canberra Avenue intersection in Narrabundah just after 10:00pm Saturday night.

The driver of the stolen car - 23-year-old Justin Williams - later died in hospital while his 18-year-old passenger, Skye Webb, is in a serious but stable condition.

New South Wales police had been pursuing the stolen car from Queanbeyan south-east of the capital before the accident but stopped the chase after it ran a red light.

The car kept driving and minutes later crashed into the young family of three.

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties is calling for a moratorium on police chases.

"Police car chases are becoming more deadly, there are more of them and we need a national approach to ensure that we don't lose innocent lives anymore," spokesman Cameron Murphy said.

But Mr Corbell says there should be no judgements until the investigation is completed.

"Now's not the time to speculate about how police pursuits should operate in the future. We don't even know the full details and circumstances of this case," he said.

"I think it's disappointing that we are in a situation where some people are leaping to conclusions, it's not appropriate."

NSW and ACT police are preparing a report for the coroner.

"I just think it's just far too early to speculate on what may or may not have occurred in relation to the police pursuit," Mr Corbell said.

"I'm confident that all of those issues will be fully investigated both through the coronial process but also through the joint investigation that's now underway between ACT and NSW police."

'Cars become weapons'

The mother of a young Canberra university student who was killed during a police chase five years ago says the crash is evidence that pursuits should be wound back.

Clea Rose, 21, died after being hit by a stolen car pursued by police in Canberra's city centre in 2005.

Her mother, Francis Rose, says police should not chase people who are suspected of committing only minor crimes.

"While people are fleeing, young men are fleeing in stolen cars, there will be more deaths," she said.

"There's other cleverer ways to do it other than to have young men in big powerful metal cars hurtling after other young men in metal cars. The cars become weapons."

Discuss. Do you think it is justifiable to cut down on police chase of law violaters because someone may get hurt or killed in the meantime? Or is it prudent that law must be upheld whatever the odds?

[Gordon Freynman]

The primary purpose of the police is to ensure the safety of the public, it is their job to stop dangerous and reckless criminals. IMHO it was a bad call to call off the chase, with the police tailing the crooks with flashing lights and sirens it would give everyone a better chance at noticing that is going down and they should get out of the way, and perhaps that mess would have been avoided. Banning or limiting police chases it certainly not justified by this.

[Elfdude]

Criminals are often driven by their fear of capture and paranoia into making extremely rash decisions. Ideally police chases would be orchestrated much better to reduce if not eliminate the loss of innocence. I don't think a police officer is ever justified in chasing for a minor crime however, I don't know why the license plate number can't just get a ticket in the mail or have police officers show up to the address later.

[Monarchist]

So I suppose we also mustn't chase murderers through dark suburban backyards because they might take hostages? It isn't an exact parallel, but my point is obvious. We cannot simply ban or prohibit police chases, as it's an unnecessary constraint on brave officers. I can't believe anyone would even contemplate proposing this idea; what are you going to do, simply let the criminals get away every time? How ridiculous!

[Strelok]

Chasing for going slightly over the speed limit, or stealing a candy bar = **** off.

A murderer? Sure.

[boofhead]

The entire blame here is on the tard who drove at 200km/h in a stolen car with his girlfriend in the passenger seat, and careened into an innocent family and killed 3, plus himself, and put his gf in hospital in an induced coma. And this dickhead was involved in another stolen-car chase last year and ended up in a coma, but was treated and survived a taxpayer expense, was obviously out on bail, and then went out and killed 3 and injured another.

And this is after the introduction of Skye's Law, which was introduced after the death of a toddler in similar circumstances.

This moron should have been in prison, not out stealing cars and killing people.

I don't see how the blame should be laid on the cops.

Edit: It's a pity the ratbag didn't survive to see what he'd done, and spend the next 30 years behind bars with his conscience. If he even had one.

[Hounf of Culan]

Soooo if someone threatens me with a gun I should do whatever they tell me because if I resist I might cause harm to myself or others. This guy is just a sore on decent society and good riddance to the bastard.

[Argeus the Paladin]

Bad thing here is that he didn't die alone.

I too don't think that the blame should be laid on cops. Laws are laws, and stolen car is not something that could go lightly. You know an average car isn't cheap, and taxpayers paid money to the government partly so that they can have their car back if stolen.

But then again, the parent who spoke out against the cops had her daughter killed in between a police chase and an illegal 14-year-old driver. So that one is a little more ambiguous.

[boofhead]

Skye's law is a good law. If you flee from the cops in a vehicle you can automatically get jailed for 3 years, or 5 if you repeat the offense.

You know, just make it twenty. These don't care about anyone.

You know a few years back my wife was driving home from work and this bunch of fleeing :wub:s came flying out of a side street, smashed into her car and wrote it off, and ended up on the opposite pavement with guns drawn on them, and had a car full of stolen goods and guns. My wife was quite bruised, and her car a wreck.

these bastards! Lock them up!

[Argeus the Paladin]

What about the 14-year-old illegal driver? Jail too?

[boofhead]

Boys Town.

[MathiasOfAthens]

In the past the answer would prob be no if there was no way to catch the suspect but now with greater technology the suspect can be followed by a Police Helicopter or in cases excluding stolen cars the license plate can be marked down and the guy can be arrested at his home.

[Strelok]

[

Skye's law is a good law. If you flee from the cops in a vehicle you can automatically get jailed for 3 years, or 5 if you repeat the offense.

You know, just make it twent

I hope that's twenty days and not twenty years.

[jman47]

there was a case in georgia where a police officer discontinued a chase of a suspected stolen vehicle because of a new policy in the department to cut down on chases.

2 days later the man in that car which he stole abducted, raped, and killed a 14 year old girl.

so no, anyone who runs from the police should be treated as if they have something serious to hide.

[Argeus the Paladin]

Someone in the Canberra Times this morning just mentioned that the best way to tackle this issue is to make stricter laws on leading police chases. Those who runs away from the police should be convicted on similar ground as attempted murder because it might as well lead to death.

I support this notion.