Monday, May 5, 2008

Yuma PD: On the right track

More and more departments around the nation are getting on track and adopting progressive policies that take into consideration the safety of officers, the innocent public, and even fleeing suspect. I came across this editorial from the Yuma (Arizona) Sun:

The YPD's pursuit policy is 14 pages long, but can be boiled down to one basic tenet: Don't engage in a pursuit unless it is a very serious situation. Chases for misdemeanor offenses - like beer theft - or civil traffic violations are specifically prohibited.

That means there are few pursuits by Yuma police officers.

Chases are allowed for felony offenses when it is seen as necessary and there is a reasonable chance of apprehension or if there is the imminent threat of injury or death to others.


Read the entire opinion piece HERE.

Although PursuitWatch supports limiting pursuits to only violent crimes, this is a step in the right direction. We can truthfully discuss the level of felony worthy of a pursuit, but everyone ought to agree on the stupidity of pursuing for minor crimes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW, I like the sound of that policy, My next vacation is going to be to Yuma so I can burglerize every stor I can, when i see the police, all I have to do is floor it...
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THIS DEPARTMENTS POLICY ENABLES CRIMINALS JUST TO SATISFY A FEW SUDO-INULECTUALS, IS THAT WHAT WE WANT?!?

Tina said...

To "Anonymous":

The Yuma policies are to protect the public, not just to "satisfy a few sudo-intellectuals."

And by the way, it's spelled "pseudo intellectual" - a phrase that clearly defines you personally (look it up). If you were to burglarize every store, they could simply SAFELY follow you to the next store you stop at and arrest you as you get out of the car, rather than put the public in danger by playing chase in the streets.