DayeTime: Of Cats & Dogs -- High speed chases

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A reader, a former police officer as it turns out, came by the office to ask a few questions about a recent high-speed chase that began in Bunkie with an escape of a “disturbing the peace” suspect. The suspect took a delivery truck, fled and ended up crashing into a building in Mansura. The driver was injured and was transported to the ICU.

During this chase, the truck reportedly forced numerous vehicles -- including four law enforcement units -- off the road.

Since this column was printed in the weekly newspaper, Bunkie Police Chief Scott Ferguson called to point out that the suspect in this chase was a suspect in several violent crimes, in addition to the offenses for which was arrested just prior to his escape that led to the high speed chase.

QUESTION 1: How could he drive the vehicle if his hands were handcuffed behind him?

ANSWER: He couldn’t, unless he was driving with his feet, which he couldn’t have been since he was pressing the accelerator to keep the truck moving down the road at 70 mph.

Reports were that he was handcuffed when he drove away in Bunkie and was still handcuffed when officers found him in the driver’s seat after he rammed into the building.

So he was either handcuffed with his hands in front of him, is double-jointed and pulled a Houdini to get his hands from behind him to the front or wasn’t handcuffed at all.

It’s an interesting question, but not particularly important in the grand scheme of things.

The more important question followed.

QUESTION 2: Why engage in a dangerous high-speed chase when the suspect is known and is not wanted for homicide, armed robbery or some other serious violent crime?

ANSWER: Beats me. It seems to be a case of too much testosterone and adrenaline and not enough rational common sense.

My Grandma Hamilton once told me, “The cat won’t run if the dog don’t chase.”

Simply put, if you train the dog, the cat won’t need to go ballistic in the house and tear up the curtains, break the vases and lamps and climb up your legs to get away from “Spot.”

You see, the dog knows where the cat sleeps and eats. If he wants to nip the cat’s tail, he can wait for a more opportune time when the cat has fewer escape routes open to him.

At the risk of starting a civil war among readers, dogs ARE smarter than cats.

The concern over high-speed chases is not one of those “only in Avoyelles” situations and is not a recent concern.

A brief web search on the topic provides ample information to read and digest.

In 1990, the U.S. Justice Department labeled police chases as “the most dangerous of all ordinary police activities.”

In 2008, the International Association of Chiefs of Police reported that 91 percent of all high-speed pursuits were of suspects who had committed non-violent crimes.

Other studies have reached the same conclusion, with a California research project finding only 5 percent of pursuits were related to a violent crime.

Most chases involve theft, a suspended driver’s license, no auto insurance or avoiding arrest for a usually minor warrant.

Among the articles I reviewed was one that quoted South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy chief instructor James Vaughn.

Vaughn showed his cadets a video of a police cruiser ramming a fleeing vehicle, resulting in the other driver and her young child being ejected from the vehicle. She had been charged with possessing a small amount of crack cocaine.

He asked his students if they would shoot a suspect for possessing crack cocaine? The article did not report the cadets’ response, but I would hope it was a resounding “NO, SIR.”

Vaughn said many officers "perceive a fleeing suspect as something personal." He also believes better training and policies over the past several years have improved the law enforcement profession.

The online data notes vehicle pursuits are the second-greatest source of judgments against law enforcement agencies.

Such pursuits have been determined to be a “disproportionate use of force” by police against suspects elsewhere in the nation.

Yes, high-speed pursuit is considered “use of force.”

One veteran law enforcement officer once told me that no matter how souped-up the bad guy’s car is, “he can’t outrun my radio.”

With a click of a button, “brothers in blue” can be alerted to watch for the suspect vehicle so they can set up road blocks , monitor homes of the suspect’s friends/family and watch for the vehicle parked at a store, gas station or restaurant. Ferguson pointed out that he had radioed ahead for assistance during the chase.

Dogs ARE smarter than cats.

The recent chase could have resulted in numerous tragedies. We were fortunate there were not many serious injuries.

Will we be this lucky next time?

The suspect behind the wheel is certainly responsible for the situation.

He should not have fled officers attempting to transport him to face charges, should not have driven off in the delivery truck and should not have continued to flee once police vehicles turned on their sirens and lights.

Going back to Grandma’s cat, it was the cat that broke the lamp, ripped up the curtain and tore up my leg -- but what about that dog?