Do you believe there should be a shoot to kill policy for people who run from the law?

Question

I ask because people who run from the law put people in danger . These high speed chases are dangerous ! So do you think there should be a shoot to kill policy on people who run from the law ?

Obviously it would need some guidelines like - 3 warnings and can only shoot after the man passes 20 blocks - something like that can work . Think of how many lives it would save .

Trooper - While that is interesting a car is a dangerous weapon , Tennessee v.s. Garner was an unarmed man , he wasn't in a car .

Answer 1

Absolutely not! Any Officers that engage in a dangerous pursuit should take their directives from a Police Supervisor as soon as possible after it commences. By doing this the shots are being called by an experienced individual who is not directly involved in the chase and can actually make a clearer call about discontinuing the pursuit. Anyone who has been in a pursuit knows that as soon as it starts the Adrenalin starts pumping, some Officers get "Tunnel Vision", some Officers lose sight of the fact that the chase is more dangerous than the original offense that started the pursuit, both for the pursuing officers and everyone else ( I call it "Bull Dog" syndrome.) There are tons of other issues a pursuing officer may not think of that a supervisor can, such as if they are heading for school zones or busy pedestrian areas and high traffic areas etc. etc. I'm not saying that Officers should not pursue, but someone should make the call to discontinue who is NOT doing the pursuing and it should usually be the Watch Commander or Patrol SGT. Pursuing a Dangerous Fleeing Felon who has already done harm to the public and will do so again if not apprehended IE: Murder, and who are fleeing the Police should be stopped using whatever force is necessary to do so. Including deadly force if it's called for.

Answer 2

I don't see where killing the driver of a speeding car is going to save lives. A dead guy behind the wheel would be more dangerous than a live one.

The US Supreme Court ruled on the subject of shooting a fleeing felon in 1985, search Tennessee vs. Garner for more information.

Additional: The premise of Tennesee v. Garner is that shooting a fleeing felon is an unreasonable siezure prohibited by the Fourth Amendement. It would apply to a fleeing vehicle also.

Answer 3

What if the person who was running was just some dumb 15yr old kid who stole a shirt and was scared...Would you shoot him? Yes i belive high speed chaces are dangerous and they do put people in danger but its not a reason to kill someone. Many departments dont authorize shooting at a moving vehicle because a dead driver is just as dangerous. Not only could the shoot to kill be deamed as cruel and unsuall punishment but no police department would ever implement this policy becuase of the risk of law suits. Its a lot safer to just end the pursuit and catch them latter.

Answer 4

It just isn't possible, for starters are you saying that cops are gona be shooting to kill as they drive? How will "killing" someone make things safer I had a bullet hit my room during a shootout once. Its a better idea to just record their info if its a lesser crime and catch them a later date. If it was related to a homicide or an armed attack of sort than a high speed chase is allowable. We ahve to remember that cops are humans too, we already have enough problems with discrimination and unjustified killings just cause a cop thought that a guy had a gun that actually turned out to be a cell-phone or a wallet... Something like this would not help at all.

Answer 5

i discover it a snigger that quite some folk are rapid to call this guy an "fool" for posing this question!! i don't beleive he grew to become right into a CIA operative, nor do I beleive he would be "taking area in his new identity" I do whether have self assurance that this entire factor seems suspect. Why after occurring a murderous rampage might he circulate away all of his weapons at the back of?? If he had already killed the 12 he had why might he supply up there?? Why disarm? He had a 2nd glock and a inventory pile of ammo in his vehicle.. yet for some reason he desperate it appeared like a greater constructive play to place himself in possibility of being captured.. Then with out putting up a combat he comes to a decision to tell the police his condominium is rigged with explosives.. Why!? ... Why might somebody rig there condominium to explode while the door opens the door? To kill the 1st guy or woman in authentic? yet comes to a decision to foil his very own plan.. Then the attention witness debts of somebody propping open the door.. And why have been the police so rapid to declare he grew to become right into a lone-gunman??.. while he stopped cooperating after telling them appropriate to the explosives and with out the prospect to hunt his condominium, how ought to they be sure he acted on my own!!? there are various holes right here! little question this act of violence will help bypass a UN small palms treaty.. in basic terms like back in 01 some planes hit some homes and all of a sudden we get the patriot act. to not point out that back in ninety 5 after having hassle getting an anti-terrorism invoice exceeded a bombing in Oklahoma sped it strait via .. some issues dont upload up!! supply up listening to what you hear on the information and start up paying interest on your ecosystem! issues are not as they look!

Answer 6

In my state there is a shoot to kill policy for fleeing felons.
If I give chase and you have just killed someone, beat someone nearly to death, robbed a bank or held up a liquor store, I can shoot you.
Those are some of the examples, but there are many more.
And I don't "shoot to stop."

Answer 7

So you successfully shoot and hit a driver of a speeding car : now you have an uncontrolled speeding car. And this is a GOOD result - we're discounting all of the shots that missed or ricocheted off the car to who knows where.
Where's the up side ? I agree that high-speed chases are risky...track them from a copter,spike the tires, take them down safely.

Answer 8

A few weeks ago I saw a corvette speed past me on my way home from work. It was about 11 pm. He was going about 150 mph. According to the newspaper the next day, the police set a strip in the road that popped his tires. And then sicked a dog that bite him. Then they shot his windows out of his car with beam bags, and fired a live round at him. Then the man "shot himself to death". So my answer is, the police already have a shoot to kill policy for rogue drivers. :(

Answer 9

No.

A policy of the government killing without a trial or a life threatening situation seems wrong.

We should use the same standards all around. If your life is being threatened and that would stand up in a court of law, then shoot away, otherwise it becomes murder. Same standards for police as citzns.

Answer 10

Uh, NO. Firing at a fleeing vehicle (despite what you see in the movies) is insane. The odds of hitting the driver are a million to one. The odds of even disabling the vehicle are about the same. Even the best marksman can't "shoot out the tires" of a car - it's laughable to even suggest.