The Idea behind Organising Police Pursuits - Essay Example

It has come to light that Police Pursuit driving is about a thousand times more risk-prone than normal driving, which is why it is being perceived as quite hazardous to both, the public and the police officers, themselves.

In Ontario, Canada, a separate law exists for prescribing the code of conduct, as well as the rules and regulations for Police Pursuits. This has been done to get the whole concept of Police Pursuit in the right spirit and to use it as a tool to safeguard the lives of fellow road users and not vice versa!

An instance to support the fact that police pursuits need to be regulated and made safe can be cited at this point. A police officer chased a driver who violated rules and collided with a truck carrying explosives. He, therefore, exposed the lives of numerous fellow travelers to risk, apart from his own life. Such incidents need to be avoided at any cost.

Firstly, it is prescribed that police officers need to use sirens and other flashlights to alert the public about the pursuit and to help them avoid danger or collisions of any sort, especially in ‘hazardous’ pursuits.

Secondly, numerous recommendations have been made on how the police force needs to be regulated. For instance, a police officer must know when it is imperative to take the pursuit. It should outweigh the outcome and importance of a non-pursuit. Only then can a pursuit be justified.

Thirdly, police officers need to undergo tests to prove their mettle at speed driving and more importantly, cautious speed driving. This is to ensure minimal and zero damage to public property or lives. New training methods like video training need to be implemented, to enable a more speedy and safe pursuit.

In addition to the above regulations, it has been decided that there shall be supervisors, officers, and other officials who need to look into the minimalizing of risks and public inconvenience caused by pursuits.

The idea behind organizing Police Pursuits is to curtail the violation of traffic rules and speed limits, which can endanger public life. However, the purpose is defeated if the pursuits themselves fulfill these perilous occurrences! It needs to be regulated and made a safer option for the public. Read More