Chase policy

I agree to a point but, feel that someone running is usually running for agood reason. I have been doing this job for sometime now, and find this is the case. If we don't chase bad guys who does? National Guard, the Marines, another agency? Other agencies I have worked at, use the words "safe and prudent" in their chase policy. If the Officer screws up, it is their butt.

How bad does crime have to get, before we draw the line? Citizens of Lee County are going to have to realize that they will have to protect themselves. Liabilty has always been a strong factor with agencies, but shouldn't stopping crime be on the list also? Why do you think we have such a problem with scum bags coming from Miami?

Better hope the new agency doesn't find out this is your attitude. As much as I'd like to chase every who runs til the wheels fall off, people run for stupid reasons. The last thing I'd wan't to do is explain to a citizen that their family member is dead because some dumb@$$ had a suspended license or a joint in their pocket.

And I would hate to explain why I couldn't stop a the scumbag when their daughter was tied up in the truck.

If you have ben on this job for any length of time you know that the scumbags are never the ones that die. Even when they are there are throngs of lawyers dying for a chance to convince a jury that that scumbag is now worth millions and that it's solely your fault that he is dead because scumbags are not resposible for their own actions, people/agencies with money are.

In the current budget MS isn't going to risk having to lay off 20 deputies because a scumbag you were chasing crashed into and killed the only other sober person on the road at the time. The sad truth is high speed persuits wil be a thing of the past sooner than we think. The risk to the public is too great and the reward too small in most cases.

Pro-chase people my heart is with you. Allowing a scumbag to disappear into the night when you light him up ust ain't natural. But they've all ben arrested before and they will al be arrested again. Don't risk your retirement, home, and life over a scumbag. They will all eventually get theirs in the end.

[1ofmany]

Lawsuits can bankrupt entire agencies. Even in an agency the size of LCSO a seven figure judgement will cost jobs and equipment. I too would hate to learn that someone's daughter was tied up in the trunk of a car that ran from me but the odd's are much higher that the driver has a misdemeanor warrant. When someone's daughter is tied up in the trunk of a car, her parents have likely been expecting it for some time anyway. I hate to say that but if you have been on the job any length you know it's true. I know of one exception and that was the North Port case a few years back.

You can still chase if you have violent felony charges on a suspect and probable cause that that suspect is in the vehicle. It's not that agancies don't wan't to catch criminals. It's that they want to be able to afford to pay you to do so. Reality is ugly. Reality is that we will never win the fight against crime. As soon as we do we are out of jobs.

[Linebackerll]

Since It's now merely a courtesy to pull over when we light em up, I have some possible solutions:
1. Let's only write warnings and return the favor. Someone's wallet will notice and look into it.
2. Light them up and immediately notify dispatch that they are refusing to stop and tell them your X-8.
3. Innitiate all traffic stopps for criminal violations with a PIT.
4. If you want to stop them and think even for a second they might run, follow them until they get to where they are going before you light them up.
5. Take up a collection to post a billboard announcing to the whole county that LCSO traffic stops are voluntary and if you don't want a $200 ticket simply keep driving.
6. (only works on the last 1/2 of night shift when there are few witnesses.) Don't call out the stop to dispatch until the car stops. If they run stay on em. If they crash, keep going! Then respond to the crash as if you never saw them before.
7. start telling anyone you stop that the citation is thier fault because they stopped. If they didn't want the citation they should have run! Now quichyer whining and sign here!


DON'T REALLY DO ANY OF THESE!!!!!!!!
Except #4. That might actually be a good idea, provided they are headed somewhere in the county.
Everybody always responds in anger to these posts. I thought I'd inject some humor. If anybody else has an idea that might be effective at stopping criminils or iliciting a chuckle post it. and let's have a laugh. :lol:

This is pretty funny and I'm still laughing. I particularly like the billboard idea. Imagine the raging public debate we would have after that popped up! Starting out a traffic stop by asking, "Why did you stop? It's completely voluntary, you know?" also brings up some hilarious visions.

It is so hard to 10-8 when the scumbag runs and the fangs come out...we are trained to be aggressive and win every fight...except in a car. But inevitably, these idiots will take a corner too fast and roll their car. I care nothing for the runner but I reluctantly come to the conclusion the 10-15 stat for a VOP warrant or misdemeanor possession is not worth the lives of the mother and child walking on the sidewalk he crushes with his car.

My first FTO told me years ago this was a big game. We will eventually get all of them...and we do. In this county, we get the same guys many times because our courts release committed criminals on bond or ridiculously reduced sentences. Chasing is dangerous business. Yeah, I know we are all tough and brave and have no problem hanging it out there to catch a turd. But it is probably too dangerous for the civilians to carry our our battle with crime at high speed on the roads.

People that flee from the police are a danger to everyone including my family. Shame on LCSO for priding themselves on not chasing fleeing felons. Florida as a whole needs a pursuit policy that will provide aggressive measures to stop fleeing vehicles. Chasing them until they wreck on their own is not effective.

[Linebackerll]

"Shame on LCSO" for being proud of its pursuit policy? I don't think pride has anything to do with it. If you have any idea what you are talking about, i.e. you are an LEO, you should understand the angst most of us feel about the realities of chasing. The simple fact is people, not necessrily the right people, often die on vehicle pursuits. Trying to figure out what pursuit justifies the risk is the ongoing debate.

I chased a Prius last night and it got away...Oh well... :cry: :cry: :cry:

Chased another one last night...caught em' this time...hehehe.

it was not a toyota you chased it was my supercharged Smart Car. And yes its a HEMI. Get used to it we will all be driving Smart cars in a few years if MS gets back in office. remember budget

Sorry to burst your Smart Car Bubble, but due to budget constraints and due to the new promotions that were not budgeted for, we will not purchase the smart car next year. Our new patrol car will be the Tato Nano. It is right about $10-$12,000 cheaper than the $16-17,000 smart car. Here is the link. Enjoy!http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/06/r...und-two-years/