Police Censured For Car Chase Death

[Philtaz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...h-west-wales-16757261

Imagine the repercussions had this driver killed someone else instead of himself? We often complain about Police being over zealous in exercising some aspects of the law but surely they were right in this case?

The driver (who had no licence) had ample opportunity to stop but continued to drive recklessly, ultimately to his own cost.

To me it's one less TWOCker, or is that too harsh?

[rojash]

Dunno about harsh, it's pretty silly.

"The police pursuit was conducted by four drivers who were not pursuit-trained."

So (a) they were just as likely to kill someone else as he was, (b) he was more likely to kill someone because he was trying to escape.

[Philtaz]

But to be fair rojash they would have had their lights on (the driver didn't) and all the special warning devices fitted to their vehicles to warn other road users/pedestrians.

Too often Health & Safety instructions are adhered too when they ought to be (in some cicumstances) ignored. H&S issues meant that more people died that ought to have on 7/7 when emergency services prevented each other from saving lives.

Sometimes people just have to be allowed to do the job we expect them to.

[Philtaz]

Should read: ...than ought to have...

[CreamSoda]

The driver chose to drive like an idiot and play chase with the police, so its his fault he died. The police however were told to stop they chase and didn't.

[askyourgran]

So the Police were told to stop the chase? And let the Idiot driver mow down someone, or even crash the car, endangering his life without Police assistance? No licence and no lights. I agree with Philtaz he only had himself to blame. It says something about our hospitals. The guy died of a blood infection in hospital 12 days later.

[flip_flop]

Not harsh at all.

I have fairly black and white views about things like this and, for instance, burglars injured or killed in pursuit of their illegal activities - if they weren't committing their crimes they would not be injured/killed.

I appreciate this is a pretty simple argument, but nonetheless it is an undeniable fact.

[whiskeryron]

hear hear flip flop.

Ron.

[douglas9401]

Yup ^^

[whiskeryron]

isn't it time that the law was made clear & stated that anyone in the execution of committing a crime or breaking a law is responsible for their own demeanour & therefore anything that happens to them whilst committing the offence is entirely their own fault & no one else is to blame whilst trying to apprehend them ?.

Ron.

[Brenden]

It is long overdue whiskeryron, I do not have a shred of sympathy for these felons.

[beso]

These people are behaving with reckless disregard to public safety, so fleeing from police at high speed should be considered an extremly serious offence with mandatory very long jail terms.

I have less than zero sympathy for those who kill themselves in this way.

[Philtaz]

Thanks for all your contributions.

I'm buoyed that the majority have a sense of perspective between right and wrong.

Yes it's tragic that a young man died but it was of his own volition and the Police should not be censured for just doing their job.

[Gladeian]

Thoroughly agree with most of the answers here - he imperilled himself and therefore the consequences are of his making.

[boxtops]

The police didn't kill him, he was doing the illegal act - and it's not the police's fault that he contracted an infection in hospital - where he wouldn't have been, if he hadn't been doing what he was in the first place.

[joko]

the problem with such a law - stating that if anyone who is committing a criminal act is injured by another in the process, the other person is innocent and 'allowed to act', is that its open to abuse...and in some respects a licence to kill...

if i hated a man enough...i could invite him into my house... then kill him... then simply claim he broke in, or was trying to rape me, or attacked me etc - and i get off scot free...

you cannot give the general public that kind of power....

and whilst i have little sympathy for this person - or anyone else injured due to their own moronic and illegal actions, i don't think a 17 year old cat burglar deserves to be shot or stabbed for pinching a TV...


regarding the police in this case - well as we all know, sometimes it is the police that need policing...

[Nini74]

the guy stole a car - wrong. he then tried to evade the police - wrong. but you can't seriously be suggesting that he deserved to die? really? "one less TWOCker"? yes - too harsh.

[Philtaz]

Where have I said he deserved to die, Nini?

As I HAVE said his death is tragic, my argument is that the Police should not be censured for doing their job in stopping joy riders and doing the job we ask and expect of them. The driver was more than reckless, had ample opportunity to stop but failed to do so, ultimately to his cost.

[rojash]

"the Police should not be censured for doing their job in stopping joy riders and "

They weren't censured for doing their job. They were not trained in pursuit, were not in suitable vehicles, and were ordered not to chase. They disobeyed orders.

[Philtaz]

IMHO they were doing their job in preventing crime and re-assuring the public in doing the basics of the job that we as taxpayers pay for and expect them to do, which also seems to be the opinion of the majority on this thread.

I recall a few years back a youth stuck on a sandbank, caught out by incoming tides. The situation was fraught and time was of the essence. The local force helicopter was asked to provide any assistance possible. The pilot picked up the youth whose only alternative was to hang on to the skid and be taken a short distance to shore. The pilot wasn't trained for such an event and he got a severe reprimand for his actions, but at least the young lad was saved.

Sometimes Policemen just do what is perceived to be the right thing. The driver did the wrong thing, which was to drive at speed without lights or a licence and failed to stop when reasonably expected to do so. He wasn't chased to his death, he drove illegally to it.