Police Chases

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why don't the police plan these things rather than have 9 cars just following one van? Don't just go all defensive, as you usually do. Is there a strategy, or is it like an expensive game of tag?

Have to agree with this. 9 cars chasing a can is either excessive or a very poor strategy.

 

[edna krabappel]

Why don't the police plan these things rather than have 9 cars just following one van? Don't just go all defensive, as you usually do. Is there a strategy, or is it like an expensive game of tag?

Of course there's a strategy, the police are like any other public institution these days. Nothing is ever done without someone who gets paid a lot more money than I do debating it at length first. The strategy would have been to divert that van towards the location where the stop stick was, which is exactly what happened. I accept that the numbers might look a bit Benny Hill, but it's not always just about chasing. If you have a tactic in place- say a stop stick on a particular road- then you need to try and make sure the vehicle goes down that road, and doesn't duck off down a side road to avoid it (or, say, a road where a primary school might be, for example). You need cars to try and get past the subject vehicle to try and feed it in the direction you want it to go and keep it on the road that's safest.

For what it's worth, far more situations like this called off right at the start, purely because either the officers following or the controller in the office perceives the risk to be too high. If the driver is known, for example, whatever he's done, it's often feasible to let him go, to minimise the risk, then wait at his house to nick him when he gets home. But then, what if he's high, or pissed as a fart? What if they let him go and ten minutes later he runs over a child and kills them? The police will be questioned then as to why they didn't stop him at the time. That's why these people make those decisions and not the readers of the Argus. And you. With respect.

 

[dougdeep]

Of course there's a strategy, the police are like any other public institution these days. Nothing is ever done without someone who gets paid a lot more money than I do debating it at length first. The strategy would have been to divert that van towards the location where the stop stick was, which is exactly what happened. I accept that the numbers might look a bit Benny Hill, but it's not always just about chasing. If you have a tactic in place- say a stop stick on a particular road- then you need to try and make sure the vehicle goes down that road, and doesn't duck off down a side road to avoid it (or, say, a road where a primary school might be, for example). You need cars to try and get past the subject vehicle to try and feed it in the direction you want it to go and keep it on the road that's safest.

For what it's worth, far more situations like this called off right at the start, purely because either the officers following or the controller in the office perceives the risk to be too high. If the driver is known, for example, whatever he's done, it's often feasible to let him go, to minimise the risk, then wait at his house to nick him when he gets home. But then, what if he's high, or pissed as a fart? What if they let him go and ten minutes later he runs over a child and kills them? The police will be questioned then as to why they didn't stop him at the time. That's why these people make those decisions and not the readers of the Argus. And you. With respect.

Thank you.

 

[pastafarian]

Better a van thief gets away that a child dies.
Hundreds of people are killed each year worldwide in car chases when a bit of forward planning could prevent most of them.

i agree with you fully on this issue.A childs life should never be put in danger because of a stolen vehicle,and this can be resolved with forward planning,i am sure you agree these people that steal motor vehicles are in possession of a lethal weapon,they dont care one iota who they harm,they have therefore no regard for the law and little regard (when they are breaking the highway code) for any other member of the public,including children crossing the road.The sooner the Police get the powers to shoot dead these thieving winkers the better,ridiculous car chases are not only cost inefficient but also carbon unproductive,instead of nine cars chasing this **** and polluting the atmosphere one car with a couple of guns could have ended the situation very quickly ......i am glad you brought this to everyones attention

 

[edna krabappel]

Thank you.

If I can just say- being involved in something like that is never, ever a "high fives all round, everyone back to base for cocktails experience". It's horrible. If you have someone who- for whatever reason- is that desperate to get away that they're willing to put other people's lives at risk, it can be frightening. No matter how much of a tool that individual is, or what they do, if someone dies as a result, the focus will always be on the police. I don't ever want to have to live with someone getting hurt, whether it's the subject, an innocent passer by, one of my colleagues or even me. We're at risk too, you know. I like my job but I don't want to die doing it.

Having to make the decision whether to let someone go or keep following them is a real pressure one: there may be consequences in both cases. It's not a fun thing in any sense. Our roads are a lot busier than they are in Smokey & the Bandit.

 

[dougdeep]

And can I say that football isn't quite the same now I no longer have Edna sitting behind me. Her wit and knowledge made the Withdean years bearable.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

If I can just say- being involved in something like that is never, ever a "high fives all round, everyone back to base for cocktails experience". It's horrible.

Apologies Edna. A bit of a glib response on my part.

 

[hitony]

I think in all fairness its like anything, the press will print only a part of a story, normally the adventurous / glamorous / exciting etc etc parts, as Edna has well pointed out, there is always 2 (or more) sides to a story, but of course the side she has put up on here would not sell papers!!

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I note no one seems to have asked if the Officers in that Police car were ok after that impact, which by the looks of it must have been quite hefty? Its not just the cars but those inside who are potential collateral damage. Its one thing to have a few dented cars off the road but having officers off duty injured isn't going be too helpful in driving down crime levels either. Hope they are ok - and have the satisfaction of knowing the scrotes were in custody

If some is going to be as reckless as that to try an evade such a determined police pursuit then they must be pretty desperate. So in my view far better to capture them now than let them think they can get away and then do something worse next time.

Lets just hope the Courts hand down a suitable punishment rather than a slap on the wrist.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Better a van thief gets away that a child dies.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/07/police-chase-south-london-death-girl

There was a video of the chase on the Argus site yesterday and it was crazy the way the cars were being driven. Hundreds of people are killed each year worldwide in car chases when a bit of forward planning could prevent most of them. A lot of American states have outlawed high speed chases by their police forces.

No-one was killed or injured and from what I'm told the driver was off his face on drink and drugs and ramming both police cars and civilian cars off the road, the police ended it before HE could kill either himself or anybody else. of course the driving was crazy, it was a pursuit FFS, that's like saying the police fired their guns and it was bloody dangerous. Jump off of your anti police platform for a change and stop being a bellend.

 

[dougdeep]

Jump off of your anti police platform for a change and stop being a bellend.

I think you have the wrong person, I have never been anti-police. Just because nobody was killed it doesn't mean they couldn't have been. I'm sure 2 or 3 cop cars would have been sufficient to pursue one van.

 

[edna krabappel]

I'm sure 2 or 3 cop cars would have been sufficient to pursue one van.

I was under the impression that we'd established it isn't.

Fine. Put yourself in charge of that scenario. A van makes off from your officers in the middle of Brighton. What are you going to do?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I think you have the wrong person, I have never been anti-police. Just because nobody was killed it doesn't mean they couldn't have been. I'm sure 2 or 3 cop cars would have been sufficient to pursue one van.

Maybe only 2 or 3 of them were actually pursuing the stolen van and the rest were just rushing back to base to book off for the day in order to save tax payers money by avoiding overtime? that or they were in danger of being late for their tea break

 

[The Fifth Column]

I think you have the wrong person, I have never been anti-police. Just because nobody was killed it doesn't mean they couldn't have been. I'm sure 2 or 3 cop cars would have been sufficient to pursue one van.

You are sure are you? And that is based on what experience exactly? Are you a qualified ground commander organising and authorising the pursuit? Or perhaps you are one of the highly trained police drivers pursuing the van? I imagine you must also have a crystal ball telling you how many people are in the van and are happy that perhaps 2 or 3 single crewed police cars will be sufficient to deal with all the occupants when they finally stop and decamp? In fact considering one of those cars will almost certainly be acting as a safety car at the rear to prevent any problems behind the pursuit you are sure 2 officers on their own can deal with the carnage at the end of the pursuit? Since you are the expert in police pursuits perhaps you should offer your services to run any future pursuits from the comfort of your armchair, good luck.

 

[seagul]

And if the police just ignored it then anarchy would prevale.

 

[The Birdman]

Went see Eddie Izzard on Sunday and by the lights at the bottom of West Street saw a pick up truck with 2 smashed Police cars laughed at the sight until I read the Argus on Monday: and felt a little bit guilty and thank goodness no one was hurt. Will done the OB

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

We don't know it's just a stolen / suspicious van do we? It could be a van containing escaping murderers/terrorists/child abductors etc. Let the rozzers do their job...catching the baddies

 

[Dick Head]

better things to do than catch criminals? yes, they should have just ignored it. and where does it say any cars were "totaled" (written off).

 

[edna krabappel]

You have to admit, that officer in the background looks pretty damned hot. And professional, I'd say.

 

[Since1982]

Nothing like telling a professional how to do their job eh? Even if there is a smidgen of bravado amongst those involved in the chase I would still back their judgement to do the right thing a million times more then somebody with no training, no experience and zero knowledge ie your average NSC poster, me included.