High-speed police pursuit procedures under scrutiny Katharine Hamer News Reporter khamer@nsnews.com TURN on your television any night of the week and you’re bound to find footage of a high-speed police pursuit, complete with running commentary from an overhead helicopter. The OJ Simpson chase, with Simpson’s white SUV barrelling down an L.A. freeway flanked by police cars, was witnessed as it unfolded by millions of viewers. Casual observers might believe such incidents are as harmless as bumper-car rides at a funfair: suspect flces, police follow, weaving in and out of traffic before rounding up their quarry. The reality is that police pursuits always carry the risk of injury — and though they are sometimes inevitable in the apprehension of criminals, public safety remains a matter of serious concern. At least 12 people have been killed in Canada in the past year as a result of police chases. Two years ago, a 73-year-old Toronto man dding his bicycle on the sidewalk was killed when a stolen van pursued by police slammed into him. Constables Karl Heilimo and Gerald O’Kane, the pursuing offi- cers, were charged with dangerous driving. They were accused by Crown prosecutors of “flawed judgment” in starting and conti ing a chase in residential streets at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The officers, who insisted they were just doing their job, were found not guilty in a landmark decision Thursday. Police forces nationwide had been concerned about the impact a conviction would have on their ability to engage in pursuits. Refore the 1998 introduction of B.C.-wide regulations gov- erning police high-speed pursuits, police departments had separate policies, and a number of cases highlighted the dangers of tracking criminals by car. In March, 1994, a West Vancouver Police pursuit of nwo car thieves through Dundarave resulted in the short-term hospitaliza- tion of both suspects and a passing female motorist at 25th Street and Marine Drive. Local residents were outspoken at the time in their criticism of a chase through a busy area during the day. In May of the following year, five people in a stolen van were treated for minor injuries when the van rolled after being chased by police along the Upper Levels Highway. A day later, the occu- pants of a stolen car were chased from Burnaby to Delbrook, where they rammed a North Vancouver RCMP cruiser. And the high-speed chase of a stolen car in the British NEWS photo Mike Wakefield RCMP Sgt. Bob Beaudoin says the public should trust ‘the Mounties to do what's right ina chase scenario. Properties saw the vehicle crossing the green of the Capilano Golf and Country Club before performing a series of U-turns on Taylor Way at one o'clock in the morning. ic was the 1995 collision in Kamloops between an RCMP vehi- cle and teenagers Erik Thomson and Krystal Bartusek that sparked sweeping changes in chase guidelines for B.C. police forces. the Kamloops cruiser was exceeding the speed limit without operating its emergency equipment. When then-Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh announced province-wide legislation on police chases, Erik Thomson's father Bruce hoped the new guidelines would “significantly reduce Sunday, March 12, 2000 — Moerth Shore News - 3 SUNDAY Focus == fans gb CEE NEWS photo Mike Wakefield RESCUE personnel ciean up the aftermath of a March, 1994, West Vancouver Police pursuit of two car thieves through Dunderave that resulted in the short-term hospitalization of both suspects and a passing female motorist. _ deaths and accidents.” Provincial pursuit reguladions are now enshrined in the Motor Vehicle Act, and state that before embarking on a chase, police must: use their lights and sirens; B believe that a driver or passenger in the vehicle being pursued is committing or about to commit an offence; @ have reasonable grounds to believe char the seriousness of the offence and need for imme- diate apprehension outweigh the risk to the public. The province also provided funding for specialized training and tor the purchase of spike belts, which puncture the tires ofa vehicle in retreat. Dosanjh said in 1998 that the new equipment would “give police an effective and safe way to bring vehicles to a halt safely and without loss of control.” The spike belts are generally used in controlled circum- stances on fong stretches of road such as the Coquihalla Highway, says Gary Reed, an analyst in the Police Services Division of the Atvorney General*s Office. Reed says there has been “a general trend toward fewer pursuits and less fatalities” since the introduction of provincial legislation — though it will be a couple of years before suffi- cient data is collected to estab- lish a real trend. Part of the reason for that is that 6-7,000 police officers across B.C. still need to be familiarized with the details of the guidelines. Pursuit legislation currently states that officers may not engage in a pursuit if they have not completed the necessary training by “a date specified by the Attorney General.” But that legislation was only clarified in January to separate the operation of emergency vehicles in pursuit and non-pursuit situa- tions. Reed says the original guidelines were somewhat “ambiguous and confusing,” and that interpreting them was a challenge. He said the specified date for the completion of guideline training will likely be set as the end of this year. “It’s not to do with driving abilities,” he says, “but whether people are making the critical decisions.” . : Training officers who compiete a course at the Justice Institute of B.C. will be sent out to local police departments to share their knowledge. Vancouver City police, who have already completed their train- ing, will also be sending out a bulletin to reacquaint officers with the guidelines. Everyone with an eye on the real road pursuits accepts that it’s not like in the movies — but opinions diverge on whether police should take part in chases at all. ...fatatities. statistics. ..idemity known of suspects during pursuit. ...suspect stopped voluntarily. .afirearms involved. juries to police officers or members of the public. WEST Vancouver Police Department 1999 pursuit Maintaining the balance between public safety and catching the bad guys can be a difficult exercise for police. “Obviously public safety is a concern,” says North Vancouver RCMP Const. Heidi Hoffman. “Each case is weighed on its own merits and the seriousness of the crime.” Heftnian said somebody helding up a 7-11 with a handgun, for instance, would be more of a concern than the theft of vehicle: “If there are firearms involved, we'd weat that more seriously than something ¢!se.” Another thing that’s not like the movies: “The only time we can ram a vehicle,” Hofliman says, “is in a life or death situa- tion — like if murder has just taken place or someone has a hostage — very sericus circum- stances. We don’t even have ramming bars on our vehicles.” Canadian lawmakers have recently made efforts to increase the punishment of those who flee police. Last month in Ottawa, Private Members Bill C-202 passed its third reading in the House of Commons. Introduced by Liberal MP Dan McTeague in October 1998, the bill calls for a separate crim- inal offence for those who flee the police, with a maximum sentence of 14 years for those who injure another person and life imprisonment for anyone causing death. The bill has been enthusiasti- cally 2mbraced by the Canadian Police Association. But West Vancouver resident Robert Wyckham is worried that the new legislation is only a “public relations response” to NEWS graphic Noriea Anderson a serious situation. Wyckham — a former alderman in West Vancouver — has been gathering information on the subject for a number of years. He thinks a virtual ban on high-speed pursuits is the only real solution. “Do you think for one minute that a couple of kids who steal a van in the middle of the night have any thought of increased penalties?” Wyckham asks. “Kids still drink and drive even though See Guidelines page 13 Coming in Sunday Focus NEXT week in Sunday Focus reporter Martin Millerchip talks to a wheelchair athlete with his eyes on a marathon record. To suggest a feature story that deserves to be “in Focus” write to Martin Millerchip, North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4; fax 985-2104 or e-mail .