The police could operate air support for a year for the cost of a wrongful death lawsuit from an officer losing control in a high speed pursuit and crashing into an innocent bystander or driver.
A Mustang GT can be picked up for a little over $20k. A Mustang Cobra for $28k, a Camaro SS for about $33k. Now, does the additional 15mph top speed between the SS and the GT warrant $13k of tax payer money? Regardless, you're extremely misinformed on the subject. One of my best friends turned in a 57 page paper regarding police pursuits for graduation. He earned his 4 year criminal justice degree at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. He'll be serving outside Phoenix, AZ this summer. His stance is very much the same as mine on high speed pursuits. They are almost never warranted, and speeds of 130mph are NOT acceptable because it's just too damn dangerous for the rest of the people on the road. This is where you get those sworn to protect us, killing us. No amount of pathetic driver skill course is going to prepare you to weave traffic in a high speed pursuit at 160mph, because nobody would graduate. They would all be dead.
Also, there is a HUGE difference in owning a car capable of 160mph car and owning a car BECAUSE it can do 160mph. Most people will never bring their car up to top speed on a public road. Even less will do it when other traffic is around. The comparison between a chase at 160mph while avoiding other road hazards and somebody having the ability to do 160 are astronomical.
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