When I was a kid growing up in Los Angeles, high-speed police chases were a staple on television. It seemed that anytime we turned the channel to a news station, we were greeted with helicopter footage following police officers in pursuit of yet another criminal who, for some reason, believed they could escape.
Over the years, police departments nationwide have reassessed their policies regarding how law enforcement chases criminals attempting to flee. Concerns about the various dangers inherent in these incidents were abundant.
Amid heightened crime rates, state and local governments are looking at relaxing the standards that might prompt an officer to engage in a high-speed chase. However, some have doubts whether these methods are safe or effective.
A recent report from Stateline described how various states are wrestling with how to stop fleeing suspects.
During several years of…
