The Voices Insisting on PursuitSAFETY Newsletter: Inaugural Edition

Voices Insisting on PursuitSAFETY (VIPS) has released their first newsletter. Topics include OnStar, the suspension of 13 deputies in Florida, the Chris Cooper tragedy, and more. If you are not signed up to receive the newsletter, I encourage you to do so by visiting the VIPS website HERE. The sign up is down on the right.

VIPS is directed by Candy Priano of Chico, CA and has a clear and precise mission statement:

PursuitSAFETY is a national organization that joins communities, police officers, and public officials with 80,000 plus family members who have had blameless children, parents, and brothers and sisters killed or maimed when police chases spun out of control.

PursuitSAFETY's goal is to improve officer training, supervision and the law with respect to police pursuits so as to prevent innocent bystanders from being needlessly killed or maimed.

PursuitSAFETY will achieve this goal through encouraging education, research and awareness regarding police pursuits, and by sponsoring and promoting legislation designed to strike an appropriate balance between apprehending suspected criminals and public safety.

Below is the newsletter. Again, to sign up visit VIPS HERE.





HERE you can actually view an image of the newsletter that is readable.

Introducing: Voices Insisting on Pursuit Safety

Candy Priano, president of Kristieslaw.org, and mother of an innocent victim, has started Voices Insisting on PursuitSafety (or VIPS). It got off the ground in June and the goal is simple:

PursuitSAFETY's goal is to improve officer training, supervision and the law with respect to police pursuits so as to prevent innocent bystanders from being needlessly killed or maimed.

It's members and advisory board (in which I am on) consists of concerned citizens from throughout the nation. I encourage you to check out the website HERE. The group will sponsor legislation that promotes safe and smart pursuits, educate the media and the community, and speak with law enforcement as to the importance of a smart policy.

HERE is an article featuring the organization in the Chico Enterprise Record.

We have a lot of work to do. Everyday needless pursuits aren't called off.

USA Today, the Early Show, and Good Morning America

OnStar unveiled a method to potentially stop stolen vehicles fleeing from the police today. Read the article in todays USA Today featuring PursuitWatch.org:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2007-10-09-pursuits_N.htm

Also, if you can, catch my comments on CBS' Early Show and Candy Priano on Good Morning America.

More reaction to come throughout the day...

Candy Priano: How Many Deaths Before it's Not OK?

Candy Priano, of Kristie's Law and Voices Insisting on PursuitSafety (or VIPS), wrote a wonderful editorial response to Thomas Sowell linked HERE from the Conservative Voice. Many of you might ask, "Have we not beaten this horse enough already?" Perhaps. Perhaps not. Simply stated, it is appalling to many Americans, not just Candy and I, that a man as educated as Mr. Sowell can be so far off. Below are a few excerpts from Candy's editorial.

Sowell wants you to believe we are “critics” of law enforcement.

B-I-N-G-O. This is something I have to deal with daily: The perception that our organization is anti-L.E. This couldn't be further from the truth. We care deeply for the safety of police officers. Every time they involve themselves in a pursuit they are risking their life. They should not be forced to make that decision. We want every police officer to go home to his/her family each night. Is that anti-law enforcement?

Voices Insisting on PursuitSAFETY, founded just this year, is a national organization devoted to families of innocent bystanders killed and maimed in police pursuits.

I often get phone calls from the families of victims. Many want my help and I am more than happy to do all I can. Others, however, simply want to know that they are not alone... That there are other families that have faced the same situation. This, aside from advocating safer and smarter police pursuits, is a main purpose of PursuitWatch, and makes the whole effort worth it.

I am done talking about Thomas Sowell.... Seriously.