I heard on the news yesterday that the constable involved in a high speed chase which ended in tragedy with a innocent life being lost and another being injured has been charged with reckless driving causing death.
I feel so much for the family who lost their wife/mother and had their daughter injured, but I also feel for the man, and his family, who now is facing 10 years jail for doing his job.
Sure the chase had not been authorised, in fact it seems it had only just begun when the accident happened. They had asked permission but had not yet got it.
The police car was marked, not unmarked, it had lights and sirens visible, not hidden like in unmarked cars, so the likelihood was that the driver of the stolen car took off and they followed while asking for permission to chase the stolen car.
Should they have waited - maybe - although the likelihood would be that they would have lost the car.
Should the driver of the car that was hit, stopped - after all, lights and sirens were on (or that is what I believe) - yes, but sometimes it is hard to know where they are coming from.
All in all it was a tragic accident. While the police car did run a red light, it was still an accident. So should this constable face jail for doing his job? Will this make all the emergency services now stop doing their job as they could face jail. What about ambulance and fire.
I don't want the police to be hamstrung because they can not do their jobs, but then, is a car worth more than a life, even if is an expensive one - I think not.
I don't have an answer for this no win situation which ultimately was caused by some idiot who thinks he is above the law and has the right to take what is not legally his. I hope that he rots in jail, but undoubtedly he will get a slap on the wrist.
Perhaps he will get a slap on the wrist. It is also (unfortunately) quite likely that he will say that the police officers actions traumatised him and he should be compensated. Aaaargh.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh..what a situation for that poor officer to find himself in. Poor judgement on his part? Possibly. But ten years in jail for a poorly thought out decision on the job? I am assuming the charge was vehicular manslaughter. It will certainly affect how decisions like this are made in the future. Mostly I feel sorry for his family.
ReplyDeleteI saw this and went searching for articles as I hadn't heard about the story. Have caught up now.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking. And I would HATE to be a jury member in this case, should it go to trial.
I DO believe police officers (any emergency service) ought to be allowed to just do their job and give chase.
But for the family, oh. How heartbreaking. How frustrating to learn that someone ran a red light and killed your loved one and that it's NOT an open and shut case, if you know what I mean?
It's one thing, I guess if the person they were chasing is a dangerous criminal.
But what if it turned out to be a teenager who stole his Dad's car for a joyride? Then how would the family feel? Knowing she died over something relatively unimportant?
I (who have an opinion about EVERYTHING,lol) honestly don't know where I stand on this one. I'm lost. I feel desperately sad for all of them.
They have caught the man who was driving the stolen car which is good. Seems he is well known to police.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in Queensland they have stopped all police chases and the story goes that there the streets are being taken over by hoons.
It is such a difficult choice for a person just doing their job to make. Should they be penalised for doing it?
A thing that worries me a lot is that people often have their radios/stereos or whatever going very loud and I wonder do they hear sirens. I am not say that is the case here but I am sure it is much of the time.
There are no winners in this instance and my heart goes out to the family of the lady who was killed as well as the family of the officer involved.