Police Pursuits: A Growing Issue

1. POLICE PURSUITS ~A Growing Issue~Must be a reason we’ve suddenly got 7x UKs chase deaths (per capita) Presenter – Rachael Ford BNsg (CT Coordinator) Candor is a registered charitable trust whose beneficiaries are all road users; Research and education about impaired driving ~ Advocates for road victims.

2. Doing us a service? 400% rise in chase numbers post 2003 policy changes – prior 7 years just 1-2 deaths in line with global norms “The only thing more dangerous than a drunk driver on the highway is a drunk driver being chased by the police." - Dr Alpert – criminologist / worlds leading pursuit policy expert)gives his view of the literatureWhich scenario is safer?  An unlicensed driver on the road?  An unlicensed driver on the road fleeing police, now driving recklessly at high speed?

3. Pro’s and Con’s - Capture more likely (around 80%) Higher mortality to road users with all main pursuit classes Retrieve stolen vehicle faster More likely the stolen and the Police car will be totaled Get to practice high speed cornering in safe vehicle Fugitive not up to driving challenge / car low safety rated? Only 2% were driving dangerously before pursuit undertaken says some research – then 100%

4. Official records reveal frightening trends since 2003 • Majority of pursuits involve minor traffic offence/none at all (75%), • 1 out of 150 pursuits results in a fatality; multi deaths are more likely than in other crashes (Huston 2009) -~ Most deadly pursuits are over within 2 minutes showing the tactics extreme danger level ~Though Michael Laws asserts feral brown dominance over half of crashing runners are European bucks • Among OECD countries in 2007, New Zealand had the HIGHEST road deaths per 100,000 among 15 to 17 year olds. Per NZ Police “The proportion of (dead) drivers aged 15 to 19, using alcohol and driving, is low (8% sole)…contrasts with the high proportion using cannabis (48% ) ~Studies show youth run over fears of drug possession charges and fears a fine may land them in trouble… • Pursuits in 2002-8 resulted in 293 innocents being killed or injured ~ innocent parties constituted 63 % of people killed in the last year (12/19)

5. Independent Police Conduct Authority Report 2009 & Polices RAM Formula ‘03

6. RAM found in nonindependent MoT & Auto Assn evaluations to not impact OR to increase trauma! • Advice was to ignore the results and try to believe the system based on trialed economic theory ticket numbers correlate to toll reductions works • Candor has tried to get a Royal Commission over this negligence including the probable Police chase exacerbation aspect ever since AA -“the popular accusation that road policing only exists to provide the Government with revenue is difficult to dispute in the absence of evidence that variation in enforcement effort has concomitant effect on road safety outcomes”

7. Innocents caught in the fray • 9 seconds is the time an officer saves between driving 80 and 100 mph over a 1-mile stretch • Sirens mostly pointless • Some examples, Deceased; Ellen, Karleane… Farhat (seriously injured)

8. Good policies include • Safety as the highest priority – no gambling with innocent lives ~Proven ways to confine and control flight incidences ~No high speed pursuits over minor matters ~Discourage speed exacerbation ~Pursuits broken in densely populated areas • Back off means lights off and you turn around

9. 7 deadly spins • Dead body in boot, they don’t run without good cause 2. Pursuit crashes are just accidents – victims wrong place / wrong time 3. If they don’t chase everyone, everyone will flee; anarchy will prevail Biggest dinosaurs lie – many studies refuted atop many recent no chase successes egAlpert, 1997; Oakland Police Review Board, 2004; Homel, 1994) 4. It’s a no win for Police; public will blame if they do and if they don’t 5. They’re all in stolen vehicles so you can’t catch them later 6. Myth of split second decisions and of shock “bad luck” endings after such a brief chase 7. A few innocent fatalities are worth it to ensure Police aren’t hamstrung in doing their job. Most people accept law enforcement as presumably right acting due to their badge of authority, cut them slack because their intentions were good and simply lay the full responsibility for good results with Police and for any bad outcomes with the unauthorized. Police know best, even teen ones without fully developed brains

10. The Worlds best cops have broken ranks • As a young Officer Randy Wood engaged in a pursuit with a motorcycle over a taillight at speed in dense city fog – “looking back as a supervisor that pursuit never should have began” ~Chief Blue Bratten says there should be no “ends justifies the means” thinking ~Cincinatti Police show clarity; "We would rather let a stolen car go than take the risk of someone getting killed."Bob Bobdurant, the no 1 US cop driving trainer “there are no good Police pursuits” ~Solutions to the toll of innocents require understanding of the psychology of offenders and pursuers… red mist (Police) and panic “"I was accelerating the whole time because the police kept going faster and faster, so I kept going to get away from them".

11. It’s parents who lost innocent teens driving the global reforms • Kristies law; Riverside sherrifs are behind it saying "We can put out a warrant for their arrest, we can pick them up at their home, they have families in the area and will usually be caught" The work of these campaigners is saving lives on their home soil and affecting global debate as our media have been consulting them too A Police trainer who is most supportive has taken the heat but provided many inside insights; • Most law enforcement agencies have not taken adequate steps to manage these risks. There are four issues that perpetuate the dangers of pursuits within law enforcement agencies: 1There is a lack of training.2. There is a lack of an effective pursuit policy.3. There is a lack in utilizing the proper technology.4. There is an improper mentality by the police officer and administrator – Travis Yates

12. Alternatives Some forces have confronted their issues and strive for better ways that don’t make fleeing any more appealing • Closing exit routes before car started then negotiate giving up Pursue violent offender only policies Vehicle intercept method Starchase A culture of flagging it, so few run % wise

13. Non Police views count Granted, a pursuit begins when someone tries to flee police, but that doesn’t mean a pursuit is necessary. Unless someone is an imminent threat to the public, say taking pot shots at unsuspecting citizens with a semi-automatic weapon from the back seat of a nondescript 1991 sedan, police pursuits are more macho than law enforcement. Big boys with big toys ..." --Richard LarsenEditorThe Ventura County Star The families of most innocent NZ victims have appealed for policy change; Karleanes Dad, Farhats Nan, Ellens family… on it goes… Some forces have a no apologies and no negotiation approach! Columnist John Tamihere; “I did it (like many young dumbs)”