Emit et gt ei Sea beh Op: SOerrRmA ene ety ne High speed pursuits DETECTIVE Constable Mike Simmons of Vancouver Police Department’s Youth Squad nearly lost his life last Friday thanks in part to new regulations introduced by the attorney gener- al governing how and when police can initi- ate a chase of a sus- pect. Police chases have been the subject of much discus- sion over the past 15 or 20 years. Nor only here, burt all over North America and the world. For lots of good rea- sons I might add. All roo often it is an innocent person in the wrong, place at the wrong time who gets injured and sometimes killed as a result of the pursuit of a lawbreak- er. The knee-jerk reaction every time such an incident occurs is to castigate police, suggesting it was somehow their fault. The police, for their part, are loathe to turn a blind eye and do nothing when they have an eyeball on 2 suspect. In the AG’s new policy guidelines police have been virtually hamstrung in their ability to pursuc individuals breaking the law. The bad guys on our streets know this and last week the AG’s ideas came home to roost. For over a week Vancouver police have been frustrated by 4 gang of punks who have begun to taunt police knowing full well the cops can’t chase them. The punks have taken to driving up beside police cars in stolen vehicles, openly tewing their engines and flipping the bird at the offi- cers, They then drive off at high speeds, laying rabber and openly thumbing their noses at the law. Last Wednesday this hap- pened on at least four occa- sions. In three of the four inci- - dents, police did not initiate a pursuit. In the one case they did, they aborted when “ speeds reached over 130 km/h. Police spokesman Anne Drennan said, “'n that case when police didn’t continue with the pursuit, the sus- pects came back and circled around and pulled up beside the marked unit.” “They made i it very clear that: Hey. We're back. Let’s go,” said Drennan. “They showed a total disregard for the safety of others.” On Thursday, the police gota break when they spor- ted a stolen vehicle in the parking lor of Killarney school in southeast Vancouver. Simmons and his col- leagues tried to block the suspect in. But the young thug didn*e much care. He backed into police cars and then smashed for- ward into the other cars. In the process Simmons had exited his vehicle to affect the arrest and he was hit by the mindless punk. As the youth continued to smash his way out of the police blockade, Simmons 7 crime and i) pun ishnent managed to get to his feet and was prompdy run over again. The suspect sped off onto 49th Avenue and nar- rowly missed hitting a child at Kerr Street. He then smashed the “In the AG’s new policy guidelines police have been virtually hamstrung in their ability to pursue individuals breaking the law.” stolen vehicle into a parked car and fled on foot. Fortunately, cslicers responding to the calls for cover tracked him down and arrested him at gun- point. The 19-vear-old brainless wonder now faces numerous charges and Simmons was treated in hospital for a vari- ety of, fortunately minor, and her family. ADVERTISEMENT Police issue warrant apology . News as a result ofa RCMP. Foomanis had in fact appeared in court on April 7 as directed by police. The North Vancouver RCMP wish to apologize to her and her family for the embarrassment this mistake may have caused her injuries. Such are the ramifications of sending the message to the scumbags of our fair citv that police won't chase sus- pects in most cases. Instead of the belief they will be caught and dealt with severely, they now know nothing will happen. Now thev are openiy challenging the police and literally laughing at the cops who have been handcutted by the AG. In 1989, John Dixon, then head of the BC Civil Liberties Association, made the following comment in 3 lever to the Vancouver Sun, “We are not categorically opposed to the pursuit of suspects. In fact, we rather doubt that the police could pertorm their essential func- tion effectively if suspects knew that they could always get away — at least for the short-run — with immediate flight.” An interesting comment trom a very unlikely source. Yer, that’s the message being sent by the NDP. The American National Institute of Justice conduct- ed an in-depth study of police pursuits in 1994. : Its report concluded, “Continued improvements in technology to slow or stop a vehicle may reduce risks. The use of helicopters or fixed-wing airplanes, while expensive, already can allow law enforcement to monitor a fleeing suspect * *PICBC PaymentPian Now Available ae Defieux-Saxelby A[nsurance Services Inc. 105 200 West Esplanade * North Vancouver (Located beneath Famous pai ers Theatre) MAHNAZ Foomanis’ photo appeared in the May 8 North Shore warrant being issued for her by the North Vancouver provincial court. However the warrant was issued due to a clerical error made by members of the North Vancouver Wednesday, May 27, 1998 — North Shore News — 7 need high tech help unobrrusively and alert ground units when he or she stops. ... in many jurisdic- dons, fleeing and eluding « police officer is a minor offence, which is often dropped or plea bargained. “Officers in this stady reported strong opinions on sanctions for suspects fleeing, and chiding the police.” A similar study in New Zealand concluded, *... sug- gests police be given greater power to control traftic lights, and recommends fur- ther investigation into use of technology such as video cameras and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). “The report aiso recom- mends police investigate the feasibility of using air sup- port during pursuits and consider equipping all front- line vchicles with a set of road spikes.” Both studies highly ree- ommend the use of heli copters. They don’t suggest police refrain from pursuits. On the contrary, they recommend better and safer ways of doing it, ways that employ available and emerg- ing technology, not giving the suspects a free ride, and in a stolen car no less. But not here. You see these available options cost moncy. The NDP won't spend any moncy on anything that doesn’t help their union buddies or extol) their own dubious virtues. A prjvate group is trying regular S335 ~ $ALE $85 DESIGN STUDIO To help us clean up our showroom, we're avg a in the propaganda drivel they constantly feed an undeserving public. Apparently it’s better to let the crooks do what they want. Let's hope Detective Constable Simmons and his colleagues can manage to stay alive until common sense reigns in this provinee and our leaders start assuni- ing their responsibilities. to get all municipal councils in the Lower Mainland to agree on 3 private/public partnership to get nwo beli- copters in the air for use by all jurisdictions. 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