Since we are on the subject I will bring up something else about cops that even my mild-mannered mother gets really worked up about.
Police car chases. Outside our apartment building sometimes late at night, we have seen up to 4 police cars engaged in a high-speed pursuit of one car. Through residential areas they scream through at around 80-90mph.
Now, I realise there are times when it is necessary for the police to pursue suspects in vehicles but my point is they had better have a very good reason for doing so. As there are next to no firearms in the civilian population in Scotland, unless they are pursuing a murder suspect or something, I can see no reason to risk a 5-car pile up or indeed risk hitting a pedestrian.
I can guarrantee that half the time we see these ridiculous chases, it is over something like an uninsured driver or a driving offence or drug possesion. All these are valid reasons for the police to try and apprehend a suspect but at what cost?
I contend that the risk of a car chase must be balanced against the possible public good gained by catching the suspect there and then.
As there is automatic number plate recognition and a pretty good driver registration situation, I think most of the time the police should not risk goading an already unbalanced driver into high-speed chases down dark roads. The risk to the public and other car users is too great most of the time.
In the last few years in my city, police cars have been involved in fatal traffic accidents, they have ploughed through garden walls etc and for what? Certainly not apprehending a murderer or rapist or terrorist. No, it is usually a young irresponsible man who freaks at the sound of sirens and then feels forced to take ridiculous risks driving, putting himself, the police officers and the public at risk.
There should only be a car chase if there is absolutely no other way of stopping them, and even then it should only be for the most serious of crimes.
I have to say that in the UK, we all grow up watching American TV shows and everyone likes a good car chase, especially our UK police officers! But what we see on TV should not be copied in real life. People and bystanders get hurt in real life.
I don't want anyone to think I am anti-police because nothing could be further from the truth.
They do a great and thankless job for the public at large but they must be held accountable for the steps they take in carrying out their difficult duty. High-speed car chases through residential areas need to have the most stringent of reasons to be carried out.
Word.
Police car chases. Outside our apartment building sometimes late at night, we have seen up to 4 police cars engaged in a high-speed pursuit of one car. Through residential areas they scream through at around 80-90mph.
Now, I realise there are times when it is necessary for the police to pursue suspects in vehicles but my point is they had better have a very good reason for doing so. As there are next to no firearms in the civilian population in Scotland, unless they are pursuing a murder suspect or something, I can see no reason to risk a 5-car pile up or indeed risk hitting a pedestrian.
I can guarrantee that half the time we see these ridiculous chases, it is over something like an uninsured driver or a driving offence or drug possesion. All these are valid reasons for the police to try and apprehend a suspect but at what cost?
I contend that the risk of a car chase must be balanced against the possible public good gained by catching the suspect there and then.
As there is automatic number plate recognition and a pretty good driver registration situation, I think most of the time the police should not risk goading an already unbalanced driver into high-speed chases down dark roads. The risk to the public and other car users is too great most of the time.
In the last few years in my city, police cars have been involved in fatal traffic accidents, they have ploughed through garden walls etc and for what? Certainly not apprehending a murderer or rapist or terrorist. No, it is usually a young irresponsible man who freaks at the sound of sirens and then feels forced to take ridiculous risks driving, putting himself, the police officers and the public at risk.
There should only be a car chase if there is absolutely no other way of stopping them, and even then it should only be for the most serious of crimes.
I have to say that in the UK, we all grow up watching American TV shows and everyone likes a good car chase, especially our UK police officers! But what we see on TV should not be copied in real life. People and bystanders get hurt in real life.
I don't want anyone to think I am anti-police because nothing could be further from the truth.
They do a great and thankless job for the public at large but they must be held accountable for the steps they take in carrying out their difficult duty. High-speed car chases through residential areas need to have the most stringent of reasons to be carried out.
Word.
