High-Speed Chases

“Victims Ask Police to Think Brake, Not Gas, in Chases” (March 16) demonstrates that there are still a lot of misguided folks out there who forget that police do not engage in high-speed pursuits for the fun of it. It is always the suspect’s fault when injuries result from high-speed pursuits. The alleged criminal always has the option of surrendering. But victims’ lawyers find that it is far easier to blame the party whose deep pockets are readily accessible, rather than some nebulous criminal.

Some people out there argue that police shouldn’t chase people for minor traffic accidents. But lest we forget, criminals usually don’t run because they committed a moving violation, but because they are guilty of a greater crime that would be uncovered if they stopped for the police. I can guarantee that if the police are told to stop high-speed chases then we’ll see a lot more people deciding to run rather than submit to the police because they know they won’t be chased far.

Let’s start placing the blame for pursuit injuries squarely where it belongs--with the pursuee, not the pursuer, and let the police do their jobs!

MICHAEL WHITE

Fullerton