Shock Study: Police Chases Over Minor Traffic Infractions Kill Thousands of Innocent Bystanders
Posted by Zenphamy 9 years, 4 months ago to Government
So it's not enough that the Police shoot us with guns and taser us to death. Now we're finding out how many times they run over us with their cars.
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"On average, according to the report, one person every day is killed during a high-speed chase.
To put this into perspective, that’s larger than the number of people killed by floods, tornadoes, lightning and hurricanes — combined.
Contrary to popular thinking, high-speed chases aren’t only dangerous for those involved. Innocent bystanders are all too often the victims of these reckless pursuits.
According to the report, more than 5,000 bystanders and passengers have been killed in police car chases since 1979. Tens of thousands more were injured as officers repeatedly pursued drivers at high speeds and in hazardous conditions.
Aside from the 5,000 completely innocent lives lost, an additional 6,300 fleeing ‘suspects’ were also killed, bringing the total to 11,506 dead since 1979. Even this shockingly large number is likely an understatement, according to the report. The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses police reports to determine if a crash is chase related, and many of the reports do not disclose that a chase had occurred at all."
And:
"Earlier this month we reported on the story of Bill McIntyre, who was mowed down by a police officer as he was leaving a bar.
In June, Detroit cops refused to stop the pursuit of a man who led them into a neighborhood where children were playing. Police forced the man to lose control and sent him flying into a yard occupied by two young children, Mikiah and Michael Angelo Jackson. They were killed instantly.
Why were police dangerously pursuing a man into a residential area? The suspect had failed to show up for his parole meeting."
And:
"According to a report from the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Institute of Justice, a whopping 91 percent of high-speed chases (edit) are in response to non-violent crime; most of which involve only minor traffic infractions."
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But it must be a lot of fun and a big adrenaline rush to chase them down with those hotrod cruisers. Boy, I'll show em I can drive---huh.
Edit note. Last sentence added the end of the sentence. Thanks Salty
Edit 2 Note: The USA Today Study: http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news...
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"On average, according to the report, one person every day is killed during a high-speed chase.
To put this into perspective, that’s larger than the number of people killed by floods, tornadoes, lightning and hurricanes — combined.
Contrary to popular thinking, high-speed chases aren’t only dangerous for those involved. Innocent bystanders are all too often the victims of these reckless pursuits.
According to the report, more than 5,000 bystanders and passengers have been killed in police car chases since 1979. Tens of thousands more were injured as officers repeatedly pursued drivers at high speeds and in hazardous conditions.
Aside from the 5,000 completely innocent lives lost, an additional 6,300 fleeing ‘suspects’ were also killed, bringing the total to 11,506 dead since 1979. Even this shockingly large number is likely an understatement, according to the report. The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses police reports to determine if a crash is chase related, and many of the reports do not disclose that a chase had occurred at all."
And:
"Earlier this month we reported on the story of Bill McIntyre, who was mowed down by a police officer as he was leaving a bar.
In June, Detroit cops refused to stop the pursuit of a man who led them into a neighborhood where children were playing. Police forced the man to lose control and sent him flying into a yard occupied by two young children, Mikiah and Michael Angelo Jackson. They were killed instantly.
Why were police dangerously pursuing a man into a residential area? The suspect had failed to show up for his parole meeting."
And:
"According to a report from the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Institute of Justice, a whopping 91 percent of high-speed chases (edit) are in response to non-violent crime; most of which involve only minor traffic infractions."
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But it must be a lot of fun and a big adrenaline rush to chase them down with those hotrod cruisers. Boy, I'll show em I can drive---huh.
Edit note. Last sentence added the end of the sentence. Thanks Salty
Edit 2 Note: The USA Today Study: http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news...
Dude, governments' got big revenue plans that trump little people.
One thing I noticed was not spelled out in the information above is the breakdown of who hit the bystanders.
Meaning...what percentage of bystanders were run over by the fleeing and what percentage were run over by the pursuers?
And yes it does make a difference.
I'm not as convinced as you that which car struck an innocent is necessarily more important as is the original purpose for initiating the stop and why it's important enough to continue at high speeds through towns and residential areas. The police will have the license plate # and for traffic infractions, can easily track down and investigate without endangering anyone. Is this about revenue generation, a dangerous incident, a stolen vehicle, a bank robber, a known murderer, etc, or is it about the ego of a cop or control of citizens?
From personal experience, with three brothers lying in an ER and my automobile completely smashed, being T-boned by a cop in Grand Junction, CO chasing a kid on a motorcycle for a loud muffler, running a stop sign in a residential area with no lights or siren, at a high enough speed to push my car some 150ft sideways until stopped by a curb--I can say I wasn't upset with the kid on the motorcycle.
The article does state that 29 of the 68 police reported killed in duty during 2015 have died from automobile crashes.
A quote from the article, I think important:
"It is more important that innocence should be protected, than it is, that guilt be punished; for guilt and crimes are so frequent in this world, that all of them cannot be punished…. when innocence itself, is brought to the bar and condemned, especially to die, the subject will exclaim, ‘it is immaterial to me whether I behave well or ill, for virtue itself is no security.’ And if such a sentiment as this were to take hold in the mind of the subject that would be the end of all security whatsoever. -John Adams"
Now, I have heard cops openly admit they love the chase. They can carry out these things in streets filled with moms and kids and not get in trouble for it. Yahooo!...
I specifically looked for any tie in with the 1993 federal law requiring all law enforcement agencies to report over a wide range of activities to the federal government.
During the research over the police shootings of citizens discussion two months or so ago there was a great deal of fuss made reference the provided information in that data base only covered a two year or so period. That base covers all categories of crime nationwide.
A reference was found to one and one only institution who on their own had gathered and fact check including follow ups.
Therefore I was interested in seeing what percentage of police agencies reported to the IACP (it was also low) and if there were any mention of providing said information as is required by federal law. Nothing found there but it was a fast read.
I also looked in the recommendations made area to see if there were any significant changes both in policies and methodology or subsequent changes in statistics. Nothing found there.
So as an initial test I applied the same standards and outcomes as did the other study (Cato Institute) which concerned itself with police brutality and shootings using the figures in the IACP study.
That is going to be more difficult but for the moment one death per day or 365 per year (with an extra thrown in for leap years.)
The percentages were not far off from Cato's when applied.
Those stated one percent of as percentage of law enforcement total population engaged in one or more forms of criminal activity. The one percent figure
The study showed the same one percent applied to criminal activities in general across the entire range of types of the general population totals.
The comment there was why did the government pass a law then ignore it from 1993 until recently through six or seven years of the signatory President, eight years of the next administration and six years of the present administration.
The true figure of importance in the police killing civilians charge was 1 to 100.
I'm going back to that report to find out what category covered the present charge of pursuit deaths or was it inclusive in the above figure.
As of yet I've found nothing in this particular case to divide the totals between deaths as a result of criminal action or as a result of following department policies and procedures. One obvious example of great importance.
There was on graph that showed a nine percent figure without defining circumstances. I suspect somewhere will be the difference between the reasons (criminal act, department policy or lack of policy)
Is 1% important or put another way are 365 deaths statistically important as compared to the percentage of population? 1 of a 100 is important when it's wrong doing by either the officer or his employers.
As compared to present population of 320,000,000 with 8,900 some births daily it shrinks . But then this is only one form of death. I noted the list provided didn't include any of the biggies.
It's all on how the numbers are presented.
But it's also important in why the reporting figures are low and apparently not fully reported.
Back to the research. In the meantime for those worthwhile posters skip the propaganda and if you have any credible sources send them to me.
Initial finding? It's too soon to tell. But where there is smoke there is or was a fire. Worth following to find out who lit the match. And to what purpose.
It's also of note, of cities that have attempted to put in place controls and restrictions, that their police officers have resisted, yet death of police on duty in auto wrecks is a significant percentage of the total killed on duty each year.
I find it significant that in order to obtain any 'real' or near complete data, that organizations such as USA Today, The Guardian, and other citizen groups are having to obtain, source, and provide reviews of such things of importance to all of us.
As to 'worthwhile posters', I intend to continue to post information as I find it. I want wrongdoers brought before a court and jury, not killed by the methodologies and attitudes of those given responsibilities for apprehension. And I want to see those that abuse their responsibilities, face the exact same consequences as any other citizen.
It would also be commendable to see our laws and enforcement activities reflect concentration on those crimes that actually impinge against persons and property, rather than revenue generation, but that involves an entirely different set of problems.
Here in Sacramento the cops have a workaround that works quite well: call in the media! Several times I've seen the police give up but have the channel 3 traffic copter follow the bad guy to his destination, on live TV. Then the cops move in. Works like a charm.
If you dress the part, it tends to attract a certain type of control-freak I think. Scale them back to a revolver, dress uniforms, regular shoes, and the bus driver cap in a sedan instead of the urban-assault SUV, and I think the problem takes care of itself.
It's a reason I'm leaving California... I really want a simpler life. Retirement beckons in only about 7 years.
You'll get more info to go on.
They need to serve in the military overseas (to see what real violence and societal collapse looks like), 4 years in college to see mistakes that people make, and then a much shorter time in police academy that emphasizes the law, not push-ups and take-down tactics.
We are in/headed for a police state, and it is not about race. The poor minorities are the canary in the coal mine.
Indians=0.8%
I know if I don't stop for that ticket it'll be demolition derby time.
As for my walking on a sidewalk, old dino ain't as quick on his feet as he used to be.
all of the younger generation on this web site and in general will have many more years to deal with this type of situation as well other situations that implemented by people who have a 2nd grade education which is as good as it gets in this country. all of the police are told they have a quota and to fill it at any expense they deem necessary other wise they will not get their share.
Yeah, I heard about that quota ain't a quota is a quota in the middle of the previous century.
The local governments create their own messes. And I certainly don't feel 'safer' as a result.
Always be courteous and polite. It saves money. I figured that out as a teenager.
You can't outrun a police radio.
I support law and order.
I do not support bystanders put at risk, especially if there is enough information to arrest the dude later.
The esprit de corp as they call it, doesn't have as much to do with saluting the flag, as it does taking care of each other.
Unfortunately, I think law enforcement has much of the same thing, but we send these guys & ladies out to patrol on their own, on vacant highways and bad neighborhoods. I'm sure that most of the calls are for 'frequent fliers' and I'm sure after a while you develop a certain attitude.
The problem is they don't drop it when they deal with Joe Public, they seem to assume that everyone they pull over is a fleeing drug smuggler or something. But I'm sure that one time that is the case, they might find themselves dead.. so I see both sides, I just think they also invite more of a problem by the strong-arm 'default' tactics.
When I was growing up in a small town, the police might be in a deli or something and they would talk to the other patrons, the waiters, etc., and act like they are actually part of the community. Anymore, and here in a larger urban area, they seem completely detached.
I'm really ready to leave... Idaho, Montana, Alaska, North Dakota... don't really care where, as long as its under 10,000 people and I can still get my stuff from Amazon delivered.
1. First two lines are complete sensationalistic propaganda which immediately sends up red flags..
2. the rest of your verbiage is right out of the secular progressives manual Frame the Debate.
3.Now as to the report when we finallyh waded through all the website changes noting none bears reading when i have two or three hours to spare.
Since you aren't a serious poster i would usually not waste the time. But the flaws are soi apparent it needs some serious study to separate fact from fiction.
I noticed right of the bat no definition of high speed other than anything one mile or more over the speed limit. Point to check.
I found no comment on the rules laid out by the various departments involved and have yet to decipher any usable information but it's got to be in there somewhere.
But as the only one who bothered to check and research the cop shooting charges i think 'll take this one too. Most of the verbiage in that episode ended up with as unfounded BS but I did uncover a serious issue and some accurate resource information.
In the meantime I suggest you take a course in creative writing. You might impress the 'righteous'' or score points in the 'debate' group but beyond that I see all talk and no walk.
You left out the solution. Let's see how many precincts and departments in how many states, over how many years....Damn that makes it a federal matter....
We'will know more after comparing the few examples quoted, the aftermath to same, and what percentage of what total and then find out if anything has been done anywhere. If i'ts like the cop shooting citizens complaint it will turn out to be not much but the responsible people were voted back in to office anyway.
I have taken no position on the charges laid out and suspect as with the cop shootings episode thee will be some truth but a diversion of the blame - it seems to be the case with this Perception Management method.
Since you don't like my posts, please stay off of them from now on.
I'm not going to even bother with a 2nd strike for you this time.
Since I first started researching police misconduct the amount of information has grown like topsy. The Cato Institute took over the study itself in the last few months. The common comment though is lack of complete information and lack of verified information. put quite simply there is no sure and correct way to measure criminal activities. Although i keep searching.
Some insights. Post 9/11 the proliferation of law enforcement and the powers of law enforcement have grown faster than topsy and Pinnochio combined in the midst of charges, not just from inside the US but from around the world that the USA has become a police state. One would think especially after passing an act requiring reporting of police activities 1994 we would have more solid information. But we don't and neither does the Guardian or the Washington Post who cribbed their starting materials and only recently (one year or a bit more) began keeping track of whatever.
One comment was, "Why can we get better information from Google than the FBI?" Because they didn't start until a few years ago. As for the Association of Chiefs of Police they are nothing if not political creatures and will not tick off the City Councils. You see there are two parts to law enforcement., One are the Chiefs and the other are those who do the work.st like anywhere else.
So does 365 however it's divided up remain important. Yes it does for the same reason as the actual police shootings discussed in May and those projected figures of 900 something.They are a better indicator of more important and deeper rooted problems that really need to be outed publicly but in a manner that catches the attention of the third group of those who comment. Remember? Righteous, Debaters, and those who get up and do something about a problem..
1977 forty years ago we were taught the federal government only had four police agencies. White House, Washington DC, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Panama Canal Zone. The latter no longer exists. I did a quick count on Wikpedia and rapidly identified 23 separate federal police agencies and others that act and have police powers but don't use the word police in their title - just on the back of their jackets.
So has crime gone up or down?
Still the percentage of police committing crimes still remains at 1% of law enforcement and the percent of citizens committing crimes as a percentage of general population remains statistically equal.
Yet the number of laws have gone up and civil rights have gone down.
The requirements for reporting police activities were stiffened but 20 years later we have some information from the last few years and at least one police related group isn't sharing.
The same individual who told me why Border Patrol didn't switch to black uniforms also mentioned the amount of time they must spend doing reports versus on patrol. Just like Chor'no'byl or the IOUs in the social security fund paper is more important than reality.
With all that time, effort, and money being spent we get TSA and what else? Federalize police departments? Our own schutzstaffel? So you can imagine how important the following example rates 365 per year.
What I have related is the tip of the iceberg to many., But it's an important tip to think about. It just takes some effort to dig out facts and put them in some sort of realistic perspective. The difference between journalism and reporting for those who 'might' feel offended.
Just as one in a hundred was important with the police shootings discussed in May 365 the projected amount of deaths related to High Speed Pursuits is also important in how you view what you want for our next hundred years of government. And what you are willing to do to ensure that occurs.
Here's a comparison which pins down one reason why not much attention is paid to the problem. What percentage of total vehicle related fatalities is 365?
Month month In-vehicle Non-vehicle
fatalities casualties casualties
2010-01 2290 4785 427
2010-02 2016 4340 386
2010-03 2423 5087 407
2010-04 2777 5775 404
2010-05 2934 6066 418
2010-06 2795 5809 348
2010-07 3095 6763 456
2010-08 3083 6549 428
2010-09 3024 6309 511
2010-10 3056 6382 543
2010-11 2795 5842 573
2010-12 2597 5417 548
total 32815
309,326,000 population for 2010 illegals and visitors not counted.
Annual figures ran in the 40,000's dropping into the 30,000's from 1983 to 2013 for 30 years
What percentage of the total annual or the population is 365?
What percentage is one for any of the months listed?
Not enough to bother about for most?
It's relative and representative of the greater problem. It's the result of voting for the lesser of evils then wondering why you still live in an evil world. Will the new federalized police state and the schutzstaffel approach with suspended Bill of Rights do any good?
Can't tell you. Not enough information...
And that is the real SHOCK..
A good start to effecting change is never vote for the Government Party at any level. It won't be easy and it will take a while but it is a legal counter revolution as opposed to an illegal revolution. Just be glad you live in interesting times. Let's make them more interesting and start by reinstating the Bill of Rights.
But that being said, I appreciate your input on this matter. However, I perceive a definite problem between you and I that I would like to address.
Your statements included in your responses on just this post:
--Youy might want to retake the coursde In Perception Management.
--1. First two lines are complete sensationalistic propaganda which immediately sends up red flags..
--2. the rest of your verbiage is right out of the secular progressives manual Frame the Debate.
--3.Now as to the report when we finallyh waded through all the website changes noting none bears reading when i have two or three hours to spare.
--Since you aren't a serious poster i would usually not waste the time. But the flaws are soi apparent it needs some serious study to separate fact from fiction.
--But as the only one who bothered to check and research the cop shooting charges i think 'll take this one too. Most of the verbiage in that episode ended up with as unfounded BS but I did uncover a serious issue and some accurate resource information.
--In the meantime I suggest you take a course in creative writing. You might impress the 'righteous'' or score points in the 'debate' group but beyond that I see all talk and no walk.
--I have taken no position on the charges laid out and suspect as with the cop shootings episode thee will be some truth but a diversion of the blame - it seems to be the case with this Perception Management method.
--Back to the research. In the meantime for those worthwhile posters skip the propaganda and if you have any credible sources send them to me
Those types of ad hominem attacks and innuendo contribute nothing whatsoever to the discussion of what some of us consider to be a serious problem in our country and I would suggest, don't reflect well on any information you consider important in relation to the topic of the post or yourself as a contributor to the site.
Somebody must have been doing something right.
Check your premises
My premises on this issue are fine, thank you.