Police chases of suspects at high speeds can quickly turn deadly for the pursuer, the pursued and bystanders — one reason law enforcement officers are taught to use caution before hitting the gas pedal.
Tuesday’s NYPD pursuit from New York City into Yonkers ended with a head-on crash along the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers and one of the two suspects shot dead by police. The state Attorney General’s Office is now investigating the circumstances.
A little over two weeks earlier, Yonkers police chased a stolen van through busy city streets before the van crashed into an oncoming car. The car’s driver, 46-year-old Sharlene Stinson was killed; a 16-year-old boy inside the van died later and a girl, 14, suffered critical injuries. The youths were suspected of trying to steal parking meters.
Police say common sense should be used when officers are in hot pursuit. Speed, location, time and the alleged crime should be taken into consideration by ranking officers monitoring the chases as well as the officers involved.
Rockland Sheriff Louis Falco said supervisors shouldn’t be afraid of being second-guessed when cutting off a pursuit to protect civilians and officers.
He said a chase at 3 a.m. along empty streets deserves different consideration than one at high noon along congested roads in busy area.
“If you have a bank robbery or act of terrorism, a person shot, you treat the pursuit differently than someone who runs a light or is wanted on a non-violent crime,” Falco said. “These factors play into whether to maintain a pursuit.”
Officers have the option, at times, of blocking off a road and placing specialized equipment on the road that punctures tires. At least one company is marketing newer technology that allows pursuing officers to shoot a GPS tracking device onto the vehicle being chased, then track its whereabouts in real time, allowing the pursuit to be discontinued.