POLICE PURSUITS.. WHO WINS?

Inevitably, the cops win. 

In the LA area, we see police pursuits on a fairly regular basis and I've even heard that there are alerts so that those folks with phones that get alerts can be notified so that they can stop what they are doing to watch the unfolding drama of the cops on the trail of someone running away from them. 

Watching the pursuit just now.. Thursday night.. August 24, 2017, the resources engaged in this flight are many. I often wonder the gallons and gallons of gas for the pursuing cars.. about four this time.. and a helicopter.. along with at least one news copter.. How much is spent to bring this guy to 'justice.'  How many other problems are being ignored?

I wonder, too.. if every police vehicle has bullet proof glass and kevlar in the door panels, just in case?  Seems like an idea, to me.

The issue with these chases, to me, is the risk that is foisted upon the unsuspecting public!   Only one accident happened just before the big guy finally just stopped in the middle of the street and surrendered.. side swiped: a couple of grand on the back of the innocent motorist who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The pursuit ended in Compton. 

An idea that I've discussed unsuccessfully with the CHP is one that I'd still like to see considered.  Seems that there are dozens of cars cycled out by CHP and local police and sheriff departments on a regular basis.  If they are outfitted as I've hoped, with kevlar and bullet proof glass, it might be an idea to paint these cars a nondescript color (leave their numbers, modified, on their tops so that they can be directed from the air) and position them around the city (cities) ready to roll if a chase comes into their neighborhood.  Then..  when a chase comes into any given area, those special cars are rolled into the pursuit ..   Then.. the black and white cars back off and the helicopter turns off the Night Sun and the officers in one or more of the plain clothes cars ride in the blind spot of the miscreant.   

If two or three of these 'dispensable' cars can stay with the person fleeing while the black and whites back off, then they, in radio contact, find ways to bring the fleeing car to a stop.  Ideally, in my perfect world, there would eventually be three or four cars: one in front and two on either side of the miscreant, one in the back. With bullet proof glass and even extra protection with steel or more glass to protect them, once the pursuit is brought to a stop, the black and whites who have stayed well back are brought in to seal the deal and make the arrest. 

I don't know at what mileage these cars are cycled out, but I'd guess they still have enough life in them to do this type of thing.  

Having been almost run down in a police pursuit several years ago in Studio City, it's sobering.  I was stopped for a red light, but had I been moving, the chances are that the runner from the cops would have sideswiped or run directly into me!  Pow!  They went by on the surface street through heavy traffic at well over fifty miles an  hour! . 

What would it take to do a pilot program in areas that are shown to have more pursuits than others? Station a dozen cars at a dozen or so CHP, LAPD and LA County Sheriff stations and give it a try?

Of course, training for officers would be a good idea, but I'm guessing that most police officers have driving training in their studies before being hired or during their employment, along with target practice and other essential skills.

This is a dream, of course, but seeing these pursuits where the lives of innocent citizens are literally at stake, not to mention property damage before the eventual capture,   I think that giving this a try might be a really good idea.  

I feel sorry for the guy in the big pickup who was side swiped tonight.  Thank goodness he had a big heavy truck and was not totally crashed into.  Still, he must bear the burden of the wreck, as I doubt that the criminal was insured! It probably wasn't even his car! 

What a trip it would be if someone with the authority to try this actually thought it was a good idea!  I'd love credit, but now that I've written this, if it happens at all, that's okay with me.

michaelsheehan

august 24, 2017