Extreme Police Chases

[Nicoleise]

I want to share this piece of insanity with you.

It's a police chase in one "end" of Denmark, meaning it's not an area that's heavy policed. Thus the chase involves only one police vehicle, an unmarked Peogeut 406 3.0V6 video car.

During this police chase, that started because of a minor violation (no seatbelt and using a cell phone), you will find a counter at the lower left. This counter displays the combined fine in Danish currency. 1 DKR = 8,5£ = 7,5€ = 6$. Fortunately, this officer did an absolutely amazing job, he took full advantage of the law (the police may issue a new fine for speeding, each and every time the perpetraitor enters a new speed-zone) and he even does this whilst driving 200+ kilometers in hour.

During this chase, the suspect drives in excess of 220 kmh on country roads, picks up 4 counts of hazardeous driving, an unknown amount of speed violations and he even manages to make a felony violation even though he's technically only in traffic. During this entire chase, his 18 year old girlfriend is sitting next to him. He reasoned himself with saying "I don't know... I panicced". He endangered more than 14 human lifes along the way, 6 of those being a family out for a quiet walk.

On top of his fines, he also recieved a prison sentense, and first and foremost ; the only damage sustained to property or people was to the suspect car and the police vehicle. No other property or people were damaged.

Here's the video :
Part 1
Part 2


Here's another situation:
Another unmarked policecar is chasing a race-bike on public streets. Again, no damage occured to people or property, but in my opinion, this one came very close.

The officer abandoned the chase shortly after it started as it was too dangerous.

Video :
Chase

The police car in question is pretty much similar, it's an entirely unmarked car, and the emergency lights consist of only one rotary corona on the roof, and alternating highbeams left/right.


===

So what's my point?

These police chases - personally I think they are okay. I don't think they're okay in America, because it appears like they somehow always manage to damage 8 cruisers, 10 civilian vehicles and rarely actually apprehend the suspect alive. Things like that never happen here. But my point is ;

What would you have the police do? Should they abandon these chases with the price of "teaching" people that if only they go above 200 kmh, they can get away, or should they keep going possibly at the cost of human lifes?


My personal opinion is that the first chase is okay ; this officer has the best driving training you can have in the danish police - bodyguard driving, techincal driving, etc. They are two people in the car. Then again, coming through the small village, they're at 180 kmh, even though there are tonnes of driveways with the potential risk of children running onto the road to go to their friends house.

The second situation shows how close to an accident you can get : Look at 0:37 and tell me : if you were driving 200 kmh, would you be absolutely sure that the silver car on the right, that approaches the intersection very fast has even seen you or correctly estimated your speed? In my opinion, that was simply not okay, it was a gamble. The officer did end the chase, but it was too late.


What do you think? Do you have any experience with police chases like these? Do you think it's okay that the police drives this fast? Do they push the suspects to drive faster? Will the suspects drive faster anyhow?

Tell me :)

[Sierra]

What do you think?
Interesting thread.

Do you have any experience with police chases like these?
No.

What would you have the police do? Should they abandon these chases with the price of "teaching" people that if only they go above 200 kmh, they can get away, or should they keep going possibly at the cost of human lifes? Do you think it's okay that the police drives this fast?

I don't think any chase should be abanoned, because you will never know the full cause, why someone is trying to get away. You said, that maybe they should go forth, possibly at the cost of human lifes - but it doesn't work that way man. Risk is involved, but there is risk everywhere. Of course, during a chase with such speed, police officer has to be triple focused and prepared for any surprises.
To block the road is a good way to go, but it takes some time though.... I'd say, when speed is getting really high, a police officer should keep his distance. Not sit on suspect's back. But it's a subject like a river - thing is, each one of us would react in a different way and that decides of the pursuit effect too.

I got something else here. A pursuit in my country, where police car enters sidewalk to keep up with running suspect. And I think there is nothing wrong with it - as long as they are really into it, they control the car as their "little bird", and they are aware and prepared for everything. There is always risk involved, but they gotta do what they gotta do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQN5N7iMOzU

[Nicoleise]

In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that chase at all - yes they used the pavement but they could see where they are going, and that it's safe.

I think the officers in the video you posted did an absolutely excellent job in a very difficult situation (chase in dense traffic, chasing a very fast car).

I know that in UK, alot of chases are abandoned because their central dispatch aborts them in order to not endanger the public, but in my experience, we don't actually have many european policeforces that endanger anyone, despite these high speed chases. I think the german, dutch and danish police are all exceptionally good in terms of equipment and cars, training and such. Maybe this is the key difference, because my motivation for posting this is thinking of some of the horrible chases seen in USA, where many uninvolved vehicles become involved in terms of a road vehicle accident, but that doesn't really happen as much here, despite that our chases are sometimes alot faster (e.g. 100 miles per hour is very fast in US police terminology, whereas it's very common to see someone driving 100 miles per hour here, I see atleast one every week just on my normal commute. 150mph is fast here).

It is my belief the police should keep on going to an acceptable limit. If it's rumoured in these "enviroments" that you can get away from the police by driving insanely enough, people will do so as a "default option" when seeing blue lights. I admire police who can manage to apprehend pretty much everyone. I know a cop personally who once chased a bike in a police car at 200+ kilometers per hour on the freeway for 30 miles. The biker then went on an exit thinking he would fool the officer by driving right back on the freeway again, but this exit happens to be an exit only, so he parked his bike under the guard rail. The suspect then proceeded to run 2 miles into rough terrain. The police man, being pretty local in the area, went to a facility where they process polluted earth from construction, went up on the highest pile of earth there, and saw the suspect running in the terrain, so he went to where the suspects heading would cross a road and waited for the dude to stick his head out, and then arrested him.

I think, no matter if the chase had ended or not, the suspect would still be panicced enough to try the off-on attempt at the freeway.

In the video I posted first, the officer also is asked if he isn't pushing the suspect to drive faster than if he aborted the chase, to which he replies that he had a chase once where he aborted, and 10 miles up the road, the suspect had driven into his death, still racing for his life. So in my opinion, it's good that they keep going, but they should probably recognize when to slow down, like my example with the second video.

[Sierra]

I can imagine, that one police car, does not stand too much of a chance against a motorbike, that breaks 200km/h pretty quickly, goes over 300 easily, and has experienced guy riding it. Plus some other cars on the road - as Nico's 2nd video shows. Those guys can loose their tail if they want to. And if the road is straight with no police back up of course.

But the worst thing definately about those chases, is that innocent people get involved. There was an accident in my country some time ago, that I have just reminded myself of.... A boy, aged 17 if remember well, without driving license, rushed in a car with something close to 160km/h, and he hit 3 bicyclists - one died as a result. Apart from that.....cause he should suffer so much for what he has done...., I wonder, how would this look like if there would have been police chasing him...

[Tyrope]

I think the german, dutch and danish police are all exceptionally good in terms of equipment and cars, training and such.
after this i could not resist myself posting a video...
duFwqzy1eK4
This vehicle was stolen, and police units were following on long distance, hence the video car (unmarked, 2 police officers and TV crew inside) makes a U-turn to follow.
at 0:29 they are in front of the stolen vehicle, with a sign on the back of the car lit: "STOP, POLICE".. normally people will actually stop, this guy however felt like paying more money.
soon after the car hits 200 km/h.. wich is more than 50km/h too much. so he will lose his license.
as you see at 1:30, the policemen are trained to know when to, and when not to, go to the left lane to take over "obstacles".
1:45 (voice-over) To chase this vehicle, you need alot of driving skill and anticipation to avoid collisions, and you can leave that to the surveillance crew of "limburg". while they are driving into a small town.
2:09 thanks to the car in the circle there was no accident, If he didn't see them, it would've ended there.
2:50, i just wanna say, he's nuts. there's like 1cm between the truck and the merc. from hereon off the police is putting distance.
3:17 the video car actually requested the marked car to move (Unit 24), BECAUSE THE VIDEO CAR IS FASTER. (yes, you can't shake them off).
4:02 max. speed = 120km/h... but due to work on the road it's 70... with a reason! at 4:35 the merc. overtakes some vehicles on the right, at the edge of the road (emergency lane) here he busts his right rear wheel.

the suspect was arrested, the stolen car with false licence plates was impounded, and the suspect will be facing the judge.

[Tim]

Well i wouldn't say just because the US may have more chases and possible collisions with civilian traffic that they lack training, or response. Some of the collisions I'm sure might be because of the chase, but if you don't break the law guess what? YOU WON'T get chased! Simple as that. I think part of the collisions with civilian traffic has to do with the public not hearing the sirens of the cars soon enough because of radio or other distractions, also to do with the suspect being chased.

Most the vids I've seen involve civilian traffic only when the one being chased causes it by a maneuver they pull to get the pursuers delayed in anyway possible. And keep in mind that KMph, and MPH is different so MPH will be a greater number then KMph, in my understanding of it. So comparing the 2 speeds isn't possible in my view. Maybe I'm wrong?

My thoughts so far. :)

[XmarksTheScot]

..And keep in mind that KMph, and MPH is different so MPH will be a greater number then KMph, in my understanding of it. So comparing the 2 speeds isn't possible in my view. Maybe I'm wrong?

My thoughts so far. :)


Just to clarify to us all

KPH MPH
30 > 19
50 > 31
60 > 37
80 > 50
100 > 62
120 > 75

[Tim]

Oh I stand corrected then. So KPH is at a higher # then MPH. Never did like conversions in stuff like this... :p

[Nicoleise]

MPH x 1,6 = KMH

Miles x 1,6 = kilometers

The only changing factor is the distance, which is why the conversion is the same if it's speed or distance. :)

As for the US police manouvres, I'm not talking about whether or not you are chased by the police, I think criminals should be chased down, I'm talking about innocent 3rd party traffic.

A good example of what I mean :

PIT Manouvre
The PIT manouvre is a brilliant idea, but it's not to be carried out in traffic like this, and as you can see, three uninvolved vehicles are damaged. That's alot of hazzle to the owners, and people might sustain injury as well, from similar situations.

When I was talking about poor training, this is the very situation I had in mind, cause that cop lost it - if he had kept his head cool, he would realize that there are million better occasions than the one he tool.

Of course, generalization isn't good, but my only point is that in general, from the impressions I got, the police in e.g. Europe takes much greater care in avoiding 3rd party accidents than the US police do. In US it seems to be "catch at any cost", where in UK for instance, the chase officers must constantly report speed, weather and road conditions, traffic and such to dispatch, who then decides if chase can continued or is to be aborted, based only on the thoughts of the publics well being.

When helicopters are used, police back waaaay off, to let the suspect slow down, and to reduce stress on him, hoping for a "peacefull" solution, like him running out of gas or making a minor crash into a kerb or similar to puncture his tires. Usually they ditch the car at a dead end, but with the helicopter and thermal cameras, they can then pick them out of the bush they're hiding in, rather than cutting them from a car wreck. :)