police chases

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steveno

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Minden , Nebraska
I was watching police chases on tv and was wondering what is the general policy involving them. the police are chasing a killer in a suburban and another cop comes from a different direction and rams into the bad guy. as you would expect the cop car more or less just bounced off the bad guy and he kept going. further on down the road the cops used the pit maneuver and that didn't work the first time either. I think that while it was a nice try to knock out the bad guy it also took a cop and car out of the chase.

I was also wondering if the push bars really help protect the cop car or are they just for pushing a car off to the side of the road.

do cop cars have air bags in them? when the cop rammed the bad guy it was a hard hit and on a normal car the air bags would have deployed. if the cop car had them they didn't deploy.
 
STOP STICKS !
"Ramming" and "Pitting" are hazards to avoid.
The method in my part of the world is a unit ahead of the pursuit puts out "Stop Sticks" to flatted the suspect's vehicle tires.

***NOTE: it is VERY helpful if all units are on the same radio channel to hear the position of the "Stop Sticks". Case in point-this did not happen with one of my Officers. The suspect observed the "Stop Sticks" and ran around them. My Officer didn't and ended up with four (4) flat tires.
 
the suburban went several miles after it got the spikes. of the times I have seen the spikes used on tv I would have never guessed that a car or truck would ever go as far as they did just driving on rims at the speeds they were driving
 
MANY years ago, when i was working, cruisers had 'police packages' meaning push bars,larger engines, better suspension system and tires etc. No air bags back then, but i believe that they are federally required in all vehicles now. As far as using my cruiser as a battering ram or letting a fleeing vehicle purposely slam into me so as to stop them. At the minimum i'd still be writing out reports to this day.
 
Once upon a time, far away I pursued a DUI driver into another county and the DUI driver was running on rims. He had flatten all four tires before he got to my position. Also he was driving on the wrong side of the road (southbound in the northbound lanes of a divided major highway) To make matters worse he was coming to a high arched bridge (at night) where oncoming (northbound) traffic would not observe him. I was planning to pass him and then slowly lower my speed to stop him ?? Just as I started to pass him on the bridge, He made a sharp right hand turn and plowed into the bridge railing. Patrol units from both counties blocked both sides of the bridge stopping traffic. Unbelievable this driver (JERK) received only minor injuries !
 
There is a old gun writer out there that was a leo many years ago evidently for some small town. He wrote that his young chief was riding with him and I am not sure what law a motorist broke but the guy takes off. He started to chase him a ways and the young chief is banging the dash and yells, get him! Get him! The gun writer backs off and says to his chief, for what Harry? Seven dollars a hour?
Okay. Will you leo`s here continue a full out chase for someone who is doing initially maybe 5 mph over or a dead tail light? Years ago when I was in high school a well liked kid was cooning watermelons. The local cop, (We had about a 6 man department back then), chases the kid, the kid lost it and got killed! Over a freaking watermelon! Helicopters weren't a tool back then for a town of 5,000.
When I lived in california car chases was a weekly event on TV. Out there a leo had a army behind him. I cant believe the stupidity say in los angeles. I understand it might have even been a gang requirement for acceptance. How about now nation wide? Do you guys always chase over a minor infraction to the point of death or ever back off in maybeery?
 
I was talking to one of our local officers and asked about their pursuit policy. He said the city has a no pursuit policy as most of their vehicles are SUVs and the Dodge Chargers are all 6 cylinders. He did add however the county police department would wreck every car they had in a pursuit. I don't think he was speaking tongue in cheek, I believe him.

CW
 
Long ago as a young troop I was chasing a car full of illegals. They blew a stoplight and because I had a big ego, so did I. Before I got through it a big old GM barge full of old folks came floating across in front of me at about 20 mph. By the grace of God I somehow missed them instead of killing everybody.

Talk about a "Come to Jesus" moment.
 
Sometimes your adrenaline takes over your brain and you make really poor decisions. I had a buddy almost burn to death as a result of rolling his car on a two lane road during a pursuit. The fleeing felon eventually rolled his own car, hid in the bushes, and made a lovely snack for the K9 unit that was brought out to locate him. My buddy lived, burns over 80% of his body, and bears the scars for the rest of his life.
 
My dad would be well over a hundred if he was alive. This probley happened in the early 1930s. Dad said he and a friend were out driving at night. They stopped on a dirt road so his buddy could take a leak. A cop come up and told dad to drive his friend to the station and he would follow. Dad said as the cop was following him he turned his lights off and hauled. He knew the roads and outran the cop. Later the cop seen him in town and told pa, "The next time you try that, I will shoot your tires off!" That was all.
 
OK......

OK, here is a need. What is needed is a way to actually STOP a car that's being chased. Electromagnet discharge or some such. Or maybe the old harpoon chained to an anchor device.
 
I guess its all a matter of what you want them for. Have you seen that commercial where this couple are driving and a kid is chasing them on a riding mower? The wife forgot to pay him. Then the worst case of it I read where during world war two a russian pilot shot down a german pilot. The german crash landed his disabled shot up plane and hit the ground running towards some woods. The circling russian pilot seen that he was avoiding some russian ground troops, landed his plane, ran down the german on foot and choked him to death!
 
rwsmith said:
OK, here is a need. What is needed is a way to actually STOP a car that's being chased. Electromagnet discharge or some such. Or maybe the old harpoon chained to an anchor device.
Click to expand...

Actually I seem to remember they have these systems developed but they have a problem because when they shut the engine down the fleeing person will lose their power steering and breaks, us old folk can remember vehicles without power anything remember the ol' armstrong steering had to use muscle to turn the wheel, so they think this may be a hazard. I think this is the same for On Star you have to give permission for them to shut down the vehicle and take responsibility. Of course spikes makes you lose control also but then again some on the COPs show can drive almost forever on flats.

It is amazing how far some of those vehicles go on their rims with fire coming out. So the destroy their $10000 car for a $200 ticket.

So I remember being in traffic court:mad:, one of my many times back then:eek:, I think LEO didn't like me as I would never do anything wrong with my red mustang 289 4 speed:rolleyes:, anyway, office goes up and forget what he charged the girl with but he read his report to the judge and tells him he stopped her because he saw smoke coming from her front end,:eek: when he got to the car she only had three tires, seems she didn't have a spare and wasn't gonna walk.
 
Omaha seems to have a policy where a traffic violation resulting in a chase is broken off. Its just not worth the risk to the public to have all that iron screaming through the streets when you have a plate leading to an owner and address.
felony's are a bit more entertaining ... they let the helicopter track em to the location of their choosing and send the war dogs on out with infrared eyes in the sky leading the police to each perp.
In either case, public risk is reduced.
 
Aloha,

Many new high end cars now have Run Flat tires.

Tires that will hold up even after the air is let out.

Since almost ALL cars now are Drive By Wire, AKA computer,

a EMP most like will shut Everything down and cause a bad traffic crash.

I've been told that when Drive By Wire crashes, only the Dealer can

reprogram the car and get it running.

Don't forget that almost All new cars have aircraft style Black Boxes that

record the last few seconds of a car crash,
 
When I was working we were subject to a state wide policy that basically said that if the hazards of a pursuit out weighed the hazards of the actions of the violator then the pursuit had to be terminated. Since one hazard of any chase is a fatal crash, it spelled the end of pursuits.
 
Feralmerrill, POLICY says only 2 cruisers, & initiating officer & their supervisor must constantly "balance the need to apprehend with the risk to the public and all involved."
When I was younger I was more likely to chase for traffic only, but even then I terminated several on my own cause the driver's actions were just too crazy for the violation.

Now that I'm the supervisor, I am fortunate to have mainly seasoned (read: not as active ;-) ) officers on my shift who weigh the risks well. I'm very active myself and try to be with the "pups" when they are out hunting. The few pups I have listen to me and the other veterans. When they do catch their tails and get in over their heads, I get to have counsel time with them. It's weird being on the other end if those conversations! :-D

We don't PIT but do have stop sticks. However, several local agencies stopped using them altogether after a local Sgt was crushed by a suspect's Cadillac. We don't deploy them unless we have SOLID cover like a highway overpass or cement truck in case the runner tries to hit us.
That being said, we had an incident a few years ago where a guy with a rifle in a standoff snuck out & stole a Deputy's cruiser. An adjoining agency chased him by us and we used stop sticks to flatten the cruisers tires. It worked, but our guy couldn't pull the sticks out of the way in time & the they also flattened the tires of another cruiser and a clueless woman who couldn't figure out that she should probably stop for 10 cop cars with lights and sirens. The guy was stopped & shot with an AR down the road & no one else was hurt.
I love my job! :D

Sent from somewhere between the Ohio territory and the neutral zone.
 
Last edited:
jimmyj said:
***NOTE: it is VERY helpful if all units are on the same radio channel to hear the position of the "Stop Sticks". Case in point-this did not happen with one of my Officers. The suspect observed the "Stop Sticks" and ran around them. My Officer didn't and ended up with four (4) flat tires.
Click to expand...

Am I a badguy because I LMAO at this? :D



We've had a couple lately here in Sandawg. From what I've caught on the news the latest I guess was trying to pull a guy over for cell yakkin' & turns out the vehicle was wanted in a shooting a few days ago. All y'all be careful out there.

Oh yeah.... hit the range, too. News said 3 cops, 24 rounds (last I heard) and the badguy went to the hospital.
 
A10 said:
Sometimes your adrenaline takes over your brain and you make really poor decisions. I had a buddy almost burn to death as a result of rolling his car on a two lane road during a pursuit. The fleeing felon eventually rolled his own car, hid in the bushes, and made a lovely snack for the K9 unit that was brought out to locate him. My buddy lived, burns over 80% of his body, and bears the scars for the rest of his life.
Click to expand...

Please give him my best regards for his service and sacrifices.
 
Hi (again):
Pursuits: we had a gentleman that stole a truck right in front of two of my Officers (Young Pups) and the chase was on. This was at night in a rural county, no traffic, and during a very dull shift. Though our county and into another county, and back into our county. Of course I got involved (Shift Supervisor). well, we decided that the best way was to "Box" the suspect in. I was going to be the lead car, and I attempted to pass the suspect, he attempted to run me off the road several times. The suspect ran out of gas and as a world of Officers from different Agencies converged on the driver, they found the driver door locked. My two Officers went in the passenger door and was attempting to take him out (Drag) of the car with negative success ? I approached the vehicle and made a suggestion, "Guys he might come out easier if you took this seat belt off."
 
rwsmith said:
OK, here is a need. What is needed is a way to actually STOP a car that's being chased. Electromagnet discharge or some such. Or maybe the old harpoon chained to an anchor device.
Click to expand...

<adjusts tinfoil hat>

They're working on it. Remember when Onstar was just a handy little GPS app? How long ya reckon before such technology is mandatory standard equipment?
 
I still have a hard time believing this myself. I was sent "somewhere" in the remote desert. Another guard for something else there claimed that something was tested that would stop all electronics for many miles around. He said car engines would stop and even his battery flashlight wouldnt work! That was 30 years ago! Hard to believe, but if so how much have they learned since then?
Even if this wild tale was so, no agency would dare use it as it would also stop hospital equipment and everything else for miles.
How about this far out idea? Call in one of those huge bannana helicopters, have it hooked up with one of those electric magnets that they use in wrecking auto yards to swing junkers around, snatch the car in the air, fly him wherever, get him 500 feet high and turn off the current!
 
They did the helicopter pickup and dump thing in "You Only Live Twice", one of the Bond movies. They dropped the car (and the baddies in it) into Tokyo Bay. Nowadays that would be felony littering.
 
I never seen that movie but it just proves what ma always told me, "Theres nothing new under the sun".
 
Give my regards as well, A10. How did he cope? He find another career? He have family to support him?

Sent from somewhere between the Ohio territory and the neutral zone.
 
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