Doing a runner just got more attractive

[Ixion]

From the press :

Police pursuit benefits don't outweigh risk: report

NZPA Last updated 17:00 13/10/2009





Few police pursuits uncover evidence of serious crimes and the risks often outweigh the benefits, an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report says.
Police assistant commissioner operations Viv Rickard said he had read the report and accepted its findings and recommendations.

The report analysed 137 pursuits reported to it during the five years to December 2008. During that period, 24 people died and 91 were seriously injured in the pursuits.

The report found relatively few pursuits uncovered evidence of serious crimes, other than those associated with the offender's driving.

Pursuits could begin over relatively minor offending, or general suspicion, and end in serious injury or death, IPCA chairwoman Justice Lowell Goddard said.

"In such cases, the benefits from pursuing and stopping an offender do not appear to have outweighed the risks," Justice Goddard said.

"In our view, the police pursuit policy could provide clearer guidance for officers on when they may pursue."

Mr Rickard said police would over the next few months be able to incorporate some findings from the report into policy.

"In saying that, what they have done is reinforced that the considerable amount of work that New Zealand police has done around our policy has also stated that the people responsible for these pursuits and the injuries that occur are the drivers and not the New Zealand police."

Mr Rickard said the IPCA had made some key recommendations, noting in particular the issue of motorcycle pursuits.

"Our data shows that you are 18 times more likely to be injured on a motorcycle than in a car, so police involved in pursuits of motorcycles, we need to take cognisance of that."

Police would also incorporate the IPCA's recommendation around risk assessment, he said.

"That's taking into account the number of people in the vehicle we are pursuing, the age of those people. I think that's important noting that a lot of people involved in pursuits are young."

Justice Goddard. Now there's a legal name to conjure with! No relation to Raynor, I suppose- still it's not that common a name.

[ital916]

Another castration of police procedure. If you run from the police and put yourself into a tree, well..it would have happened sooner or later.

[Patrick]

It was the Police's fault.....

LOL.......

[ital916]

It was the Police's fault.....

LOL.......

So, when do you guys start carrying around wet bus tickets to slap people with...itll happen sooner or later in this super-politically-correct country.

On a side note, I wish there were ambulance bikes in nz, then I would apply to be a motorcycle paramedic. That would a cool job.

[McWild]

I will now go and pretend I am Ghostrider and look for police to run from.



Some say I am easily convinced. I don't see what they're getting at.

[SixPackBack]

As long as the cost of defence out weighs the potential fine 'doing a runner' will become increasingly more popular.

[carver]

thanks for the heads up...
il take the plate off the GSXR

will they chase the TRX?

[p.dath]

This really doesn't mean too much until it translates into some poilicy. Will be interesting to see the result.

[Maki]

This is the kind of chase police should avoid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOTrCiQV0EM

Pointless, and it was pure luck the police officers involved did not suffer serious injury or death. If that is the best they can do they should not do it at all. There has got to be a better way.

[Usarka]

This really doesn't mean too much until it translates into some poilicy. Will be interesting to see the result.

Policy doesn't mean much until it's translated into legislation.

[vtec]

So, when do you guys start carrying around wet bus tickets to slap people with...itll happen sooner or later in this super-politically-correct country.

On a side note, I wish there were ambulance bikes in nz, then I would apply to be a motorcycle paramedic. That would a cool job.

Yeah I totally reckon they need motorcycle paramedics. I find it embarrassing when I'm lanesplitting exceedingly safely say on the NorthWestern, and I come up on ambulances fighting their way through traffic, and I can't help but swap to the other ghost lane and pass them as they are crawling along. A bike paramedic with drugs equipment and a defibrillator pack on their back would save a lot of lives. Would chop some emergency arrival times done to 1/3 or better.

Also, with the ACC blowout, and highly likely massive jump in rego prices, it's going to become much more viable for people to put their rego's on hold and just evade police. This has come at a very ironic time. A bit like the opening of the Grafton Bridge; to busses only; just as all the busses go on strike... and they've still got people policing it

[pete376403]

St John used (1995-6ish)to have paramedic bikes in Auckland city. BMWs, panniers full of stuff - like cop bikes, but useful. Do they no longer exist?

[p.dath]

St John used (1995-6ish)to have paramedic bikes in Auckland city. BMWs, panniers full of stuff - like cop bikes, but useful. Do they no longer exist?

Someone wrote a Wiki article about it:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/wiki/New_...mbulance_Bikes

It sounds like they still exist.

[Ragingrob]

So, when do you guys start carrying around wet bus tickets to slap people with...itll happen sooner or later in this super-politically-correct country.

On a side note, I wish there were ambulance bikes in nz, then I would apply to be a motorcycle paramedic. That would a cool job.

St John used (1995-6ish)to have paramedic bikes in Auckland city. BMWs, panniers full of stuff - like cop bikes, but useful. Do they no longer exist?

On the pink ribbon ride on Sunday there were some motorbike paramedic/ambulances.

[Mom]

"Few police pursuits uncover evidence of serious crimes and the risks often outweigh the benefits, an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report says."

Thank you, I hate them, my blood runs cold everytime I hear of one. I was an innocent road user during a chase on the southern motorway a while ago, the police were so lucky the guy did not take out a heap of innocent people going about their daily lives while they were in hot pursuit.

Patently obvious he was not going to stop, the road cone burning under his rear fender confirmed that to me after he about run me off the friggen road, undertaking me on the approach to the Bombay Service Centre. He had picked that up at least 25 kms south.

But now what happens?