Search Results: Is it Really Over

If the vehicle plates are known (99% of cop cars have dashcam) is there really any reason to chase them immediately?

Obviously if their crime is a violent felony that is a factor but almost ALL chases are the result of a initial traffic stop or at worst robbery (yes that could be violent felony but the vast majority of robberies only threaten violence, not inflict actual violence).

From the FBI:

Successful restrictions: Cities like Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Orlando have restricted chase policies and have not seen corresponding spikes in crime.

Alternative technology: Some police departments are using GPS tracking units that can be fired onto a fleeing vehicle, allowing officers to disengage from a high-speed chase while still tracking the suspect. In one set of case studies, 80% of speeders were still apprehended using this method.

Widespread fatalities: More than one person is killed every day on average in police pursuit crashes.

Risk to bystanders: Most of those killed in police chases are not the fleeing drivers. 25-40% involved uninvolved third parties.

Disproportionate harm: Black people are 4x more likely to be killed in police pursuits than white people.

Traffic violations: The majority of pursuits begin because of a minor traffic or property-related offense.

Fatal chases: From 2017 to 2022, 82% of fatal police chases started over a traffic stop. Only about 15% were for violent felonies.

Low felony arrest rate: Only 1 in 50 result in a felony arrest.

Significant failure and crash rates

High escape rate: Studies suggest that between 30% and 50% of police pursuits end with no capture.

High crash rate: An FBI analysis 35%-40% of all pursuits ended in a crash.

Ineffective deterrence: A study found that 75% of fleeing drivers said they would slow down after police disengaged.

High financial costs

Taxpayer expense: The costs of high-speed chases, including litigation and liability payouts for crashes.