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Eleven years ago, a young Florence man from a well known family died while being pursued by Florence police. The death made national news and caused many to question the advisability of such chases.
Obviously, there are pros and cons to any police chase, but this blog was interested in knowing what actual law enforcement officers thought concerning the prudence of a pursuit. Five officers answered our Facebook query, and four of those opposed this type of chase. In other words 80% of those who took the time to answer thought a vehicular police pursuit was dangerous enough to make it inadvisable.
These officers also noted that each department has its own guidelines. While one city might encourage officers to let a subject go, others might demand that their personnel attempt to arrest the subject at all costs.
The local toll this year:
February - Tab Kennedy Waddell, 32, ran a traffic light in downtown Florence. When a Florence officer pursued Waddell into Sheffield, a resulting crash took the young man's life.
June - Joe Dewayne Cothrum, 35, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a cousin. When Florence police attempted to pull the driver over for speeding, he crashed into a creek where Cothrum drowned.
November - Kenneth Ray Belue, 52, was attempting to run from Tuscumbia police officers when he left the road and crashed.
The three enumerated above are just the ones who died in 2020; many others lost their lives between 2009 and 2020. If you feel local governments need to reevaluate their positions on vehicular chases, we urge you to contact your local city and county representatives.
Many police pursuits are started based on an observed traffic violation. As a career police officer I know from experience and law enforcement publications and source's that most pursuits the reasons the drivers flees is not because of fear of a ticket but of a more serious crime.
ReplyDeleteWhen ever you hear of a really bad guy getting caught, it usually from a traffic stop or observation by local police on patrol. Timothy McVay (Oklahoma City Bomber) was linked by a traffic stop & ticket for a tag violation by a state trooper. The Atlanta Olympic & Birmingham abortion clinic Bomber was finally caught by police on patrol while rummaging in a dumpster in the wee hours behind a shopping center.
Criminals tend to drive cars with expired tags, non operating signals and expired tags. After committing crimes they tend to speed, run red lights and generally drive erratic attracting attention. So when police stop a car for such "minor" offenses, they approach with their hand on their guns not knowing the reason for the speeding or erratic driving. Many police have been shot and/or shot on traffic stops of bud guys who had committed a crime.
No law enforcement agency has a policy to pursue at all costs! All law enforcement officers have the discretion not to arrest, in this case continue to pursue a violator if they feel it is too dangerous. And for those that say, well they had the tag number they could let them go and arrest them later- WRONG! You cannot arrest the listed owner of a car because an officer got the tag number. You can only arrest the driver for (operating) a vehicle in violation. If the officer knows or recognizes the driver then they can arrest later by warrant or incase of a felony offense on the spot.
In the case of the three who have died this year, we know that two had no felony warrants. As for last week's victim, we don't have any info. Also, it was policy under a former Anderson police chief to pursue "at all costs." He didn't stay with the department very long.
ReplyDeleteSo far there have been no verified comments on Facebook by law enforcement over this blog. We're hoping to receive some new and/or additional opinions.
I'm Robyn Belue Kenneth my Father and my family are still asking for answer the police have covered up the incident they refuse to give us anything no police no about the investigation we call they tell us they are unable to speak to us because of their involvement I have talked to lawyers and hit many dead ends tried reaching out to the media being that it's against the law for police to pursue a police chase in a residential area feel like she answer for wrongs put it seems like everyone is trying to cover it up like my father's life didn't matter but I want stop asking questions until I get answers
ReplyDeleteIf you wish, please contact us at Shoalanda.Speaks@gmail.com with any more details you have. I'm very sorry for your loss.
DeleteOk thanks
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