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Unit 5302 · 01-13-2001, 01:09 AM

My friend, who's a senior majoring in criminal justice, and I both agree. The idea of spending 2.5 million dollars on new ultra high powered pursuit vehicles is a horrible idea.

Giving police, no matter how skilled, a car that is capable of well over 150mph with the specific idea of running cars down with speeds in the triple digits is a total disrespect for life on the roads. One week of training? Pfffttt... It takes us years to perfect, or at least get very good at driving our cars to the limit... one week is a recipe for death.

Has anyone here ever driven their Mustang at say 140mph coming up on traffic? If you have then you know exactly how long it takes to catch the cars in front of you. Too quick, if you even see another car you have to begin slowing down.

There is no reason that an officer can use to justify speeds in excess of 100mph in order to catch a fleeing suspect without that suspect being a known "armed and dangerous" criminal. Controlling a car in those kinds of speeds becomes nearly impossible, and inherently unsafe when pursuing a suspect in traffic. Chances are the violator is fleeing while taking extreme risks, close calls where he judges openings will close before the pursuing vehicle can get to the spot. The arrogance to think that an officer will be able to outthink, outdrive, and outrun a crazed suspect is unbelievable. The Camaro SS is capable of nearly 170mph, with an added lightbar, it may be restricted to 160. The Crown Vic with a lightbar cannot exceed 120mph on average, perhaps the only pursuit vehicle you can find capable of doing 135 is the Caprice.

I wonder how many innocent people will die in NC before the testosterone crazed Hiway Patrol there will cancel that program. Unreal, the person in charge of creating this program should be prosecuted under manslaughter for every vicitm of an officer losing control in a high speed pursuit and killing himself, the suspect, or an innocent bystander. The officer should also be prosecuted in the instance of a death resulting from such a course of action. If you want to catch the fleeing suspects, for 2.5 million you can put another chopper in the air, easy.

This program goes against nearly ever single study and department policy I've ever heard of, and it's certain to give the police horrible relations in the public eye.

01-13-2001, 01:09 AM	#19
Unit 5302 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 5,246	My friend, who's a senior majoring in criminal justice, and I both agree. The idea of spending 2.5 million dollars on new ultra high powered pursuit vehicles is a horrible idea. Giving police, no matter how skilled, a car that is capable of well over 150mph with the specific idea of running cars down with speeds in the triple digits is a total disrespect for life on the roads. One week of training? Pfffttt... It takes us years to perfect, or at least get very good at driving our cars to the limit... one week is a recipe for death. Has anyone here ever driven their Mustang at say 140mph coming up on traffic? If you have then you know exactly how long it takes to catch the cars in front of you. Too quick, if you even see another car you have to begin slowing down. There is no reason that an officer can use to justify speeds in excess of 100mph in order to catch a fleeing suspect without that suspect being a known "armed and dangerous" criminal. Controlling a car in those kinds of speeds becomes nearly impossible, and inherently unsafe when pursuing a suspect in traffic. Chances are the violator is fleeing while taking extreme risks, close calls where he judges openings will close before the pursuing vehicle can get to the spot. The arrogance to think that an officer will be able to outthink, outdrive, and outrun a crazed suspect is unbelievable. The Camaro SS is capable of nearly 170mph, with an added lightbar, it may be restricted to 160. The Crown Vic with a lightbar cannot exceed 120mph on average, perhaps the only pursuit vehicle you can find capable of doing 135 is the Caprice. I wonder how many innocent people will die in NC before the testosterone crazed Hiway Patrol there will cancel that program. Unreal, the person in charge of creating this program should be prosecuted under manslaughter for every vicitm of an officer losing control in a high speed pursuit and killing himself, the suspect, or an innocent bystander. The officer should also be prosecuted in the instance of a death resulting from such a course of action. If you want to catch the fleeing suspects, for 2.5 million you can put another chopper in the air, easy. This program goes against nearly ever single study and department policy I've ever heard of, and it's certain to give the police horrible relations in the public eye.