Police Dash Camera Video Released

[Concerned]

Airforcecop wrote:

<quoted text> In this grate state once you run from the cops it is a felony. just thougt you should know befor you start talking about pursuits for misdemeanors

Perhaps you should know better before talking. VA code says it's a misdemeanor to fail to stop for an officer unless you interfere with the officer's vehicle or endanger another person.

VA Code wrote:

§ 46.2-817. Disregarding signal by law-enforcement officer to stop; eluding police; penalties.

A. Any person who, having received a visible or audible signal from any law-enforcement officer to bring his motor vehicle to a stop, drives such motor vehicle in a willful and wanton disregard of such signal or who attempts to escape or elude such law-enforcement officer, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. It shall be an affirmative defense to a charge of a violation of this subsection if the defendant shows he reasonably believed he was being pursued by a person other than a law-enforcement officer.

B. Any person who, having received a visible or audible signal from any law-enforcement officer to bring his motor vehicle to a stop, drives such motor vehicle in a willful and wanton disregard of such signal so as to interfere with or endanger the operation of the law-enforcement vehicle or endanger a person is guilty of a Class 6 felony. It shall be an affirmative defense to a charge of a violation of this subsection if the defendant shows he reasonably believed he was being pursued by a person other than a law-enforcement officer.

[lord]

I saw the dash cam video, there was only one car passed , it had stopped and the police car slowed and went wide around it. There was no pedestrian traffic in sight. I think the policeman might have turned on the emergency lights sooner but I'm sure his hands were pretty busy at the time. I just don't think that was a dangerous pursuit. If anything he was being conservative, I'm sure he could have gone much faster. He certainly wasn't driving as dangerously as the perp, who had no siren or emergency lights and was not at all conservative at the last intersection. It was good that he was on the scene quickly after the wreck because the perp could have entered a house and attacked the residents, to steal another car of create a hostage situation.

[Concerned]

lord wrote:

There was no pedestrian traffic in sight.

There's a pedestrian right at the start of the video. Given his location and direction, it's likely that that pedestrian had, just moments prior, crossed at the crosswalk the police officer subsequently goes through at 55mph using no lights or siren.

lord wrote:

I'm sure he could have gone much faster.

That thought terrifies me. Did you see my comment above from a police driving instructer that once such speeds are reached, the officer has 'surrendered to physics' and 'become a passanger in his own vehicle'. In other words at those speeds the officer has little to no ability to take any evasive action. His stopping distance is 1.3 times the length of a football pitch. There's no possible way for him to see an obstacle at that distance in the dark. Such speeds might be acceptable on an interstate with little to no chance of obstruction, not in a residential zone full of students.

lord wrote:

Om He certainly wasn't driving as dangerously as the perp, who had no siren or emergency lights and was not at all conservative at the last intersection.

Indeed, the perp war reckless. There is no disagreement there.

[thinking free]

I'm somewhat torn on this issue but 80 mph is truckin mighty fast for a residential area.

[Mind speak]

Airforcecop wrote:

<quoted text> In this grate state once you run from the cops it is a felony. just thougt you should know befor you start talking about pursuits for misdemeanors

I think you have already been put in check on that one. I think you should also be required to possess the ability to interpret the written word before being given a badge, much less a gun.

[Mind speak]

Law enforcement agencies across this country are loosing the respect of the public at an alarming rate, it is becoming an us verses them mentality instead of service to their communities. I don't blame the cop on the beat, it is the lack of real leadership at the higher levels within these departments that is to blame. The only way to limit this behavior is public oversight of actions taken by those charged with the protection of it's citizens. We pay them, they work for us, it's that simple.

[C-Ville Patriot]

NOT CHASING A STOLEN CAR wrote:

CAR NOT REPORTED STOLEN AT TIME OF THE CHASE.
Accoding to city spokesman Rick Barrick, the owner of the car was asleep and did not even know it had been stolen, thus not reported.
THE CAR WAS BEING PURSUED FOR A TRAFFIC INFRACTION.
LONGO supports the chase. LONGO has been here too LONGO and now needs TO GO!

At that hour of the morning when you see a car that is traveling at rate of speed an officer has a DUTY to investigate.

[I know]

C-Ville Patriot wrote:

<quoted text>At that hour of the morning when you see a car that is traveling at rate of speed an officer has a DUTY to investigate.

I am just glad that the police are doing the job.I think we should all support good cops its the one in a small town that make so many good ones look bad and he knows who he is.

[most of you are idiots]

Concerned:
I don't know who you are or why you think you know the law, but when the offenders vehicle was operated at a reckless speed it became a felony. Speed is the endangering factor. If he had stopped at the intersection with preston he would would have been charged with a felony.
Concerned:
1)Walk out to the street. 2)Wait for a large truck to come along. 3)Step out in front of it. You are an idiot.

[Dark Side]

Concerned wrote:

<quoted text>
Perhaps you should know better before talking. VA code says it's a misdemeanor to fail to stop for an officer unless you interfere with the officer's vehicle or endanger another person.
<quoted text>

How about when your car is stolen or our house robbed or someone you love is assaulted you don't bother the police with it and go handle things yourself since you are so against the police force. Why are you in favor of the criminals in our society? Are you a criminal yourself? This criminal commited a crime and the officer has a duty to investigate it. That is what my tax dollars pay him to do so I can live easier knowing they are on the job. The criminal is responsible for this not the officer. IF the criminal had not instigated this situation it would have never happened. How about placing blame where it belongs and using a little common sense.

[lord]

CvilleGordo wrote:

<quoted text>
I just wanted to say "po-po". Funny, I didn't realize that the supporters of the police' actions in this case were actually losing. They certainly aren't losing on this forum; I think the score is 25 supporting, several others neutral, and only about four opposed.

I see an interesting development here that is very enlightening. Concerned cites State law and dissected my opinion with a logical rebuttal. Fat Policeman with 30 years of law enforcement experience in Northern Virginia cites numerical analysis of opinions, which are just that, opinions. The problem is that this disrespect for reason, logic, and even the code of law extends beyond individual police, into their leadership and the courts and judges. That is why so many people are so quick to judge police negatively, we have either been victimized by this wonton ignorance and dishonesty or care about someone who has. Reap the wind, PoPo.
Myself, if called to jury duty I will assume the police statements contain lies and the possibility that evidence is planted. If it were up to me a cop that perjures himself in court or in any sworn statement would face a firing squad.

[Concerned]

most of you are idiots wrote:

Concerned:
I don't know who you are or why you think you know the law, but when the offenders vehicle was operated at a reckless speed it became a felony.

Okay, I'll play. I quoted VA code above, why didn't you?

You say when he drove at reckless speed it became a felony.

Reckless driving covers both driving at 20+ over the limit, per § 46.2-862 and also driving 'so as to endanger the life, limb, or property' per § 46.2-852.

So it looks like, had he been stopped at the end of rugby road, he would have been charged with reckless driving. Lets look at the penalty.

§ 46.2-868. Reckless driving; penalties.

A. Every person convicted of reckless driving under the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

So you keep telling us it was a felony pursuit (not that anything in VA code allows the officer to drive more dangerously on the basis of pursuing a felony). VA Code keeps saying otherwise.

What really surprises me though is your admission that the other driver was driving recklessly. VA Code specifically prohibits a police officer from disregarding the speed limit if in doing so he endangers others. Why was the suspect endangering others, but not the officer? Again, as I quoted earlier, a police advanced driving instructor described such speeds in a residential area as having 'surrendered to physics' and having become 'a passenger in his own vehicle'. More trained or not, the officer had no ability to take any evasive action at the speeds he reached.

[I know]

Concerned wrote:

<quoted text>
Okay, I'll play. I quoted VA code above, why didn't you?
You say when he drove at reckless speed it became a felony.
Reckless driving covers both driving at 20+ over the limit, per § 46.2-862 and also driving 'so as to endanger the life, limb, or property' per § 46.2-852.
So it looks like, had he been stopped at the end of rugby road, he would have been charged with reckless driving. Lets look at the penalty.
§ 46.2-868. Reckless driving; penalties.
A. Every person convicted of reckless driving under the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
So you keep telling us it was a felony pursuit (not that anything in VA code allows the officer to drive more dangerously on the basis of pursuing a felony). VA Code keeps saying otherwise.
What really surprises me though is your admission that the other driver was driving recklessly. VA Code specifically prohibits a police officer from disregarding the speed limit if in doing so he endangers others. Why was the suspect endangering others, but not the officer? Again, as I quoted earlier, a police advanced driving instructor described such speeds in a residential area as having 'surrendered to physics' and having become 'a passenger in his own vehicle'. More trained or not, the officer had no ability to take any evasive action at the speeds he reached.

I think it is great that they are chasing criminals better than the one i know who chases married skirts. lol

[thinking free]

Just one note here, well maybe two or three. But when a popo gets behind some idiot who just does not want to stop, can't he call for assistance from his fellow popos? Ain't that why they gots radios? so they don't have to drive around like the idiots their chasin? There's only so many ways a guy can go around this hughmongass town, surely they could of eventually got this guy using their brains instead of their egos. Maybe thats asking too much.

[lord]

BTW when I followed the link to U-Tube of dash cam videos of police screw ups two of the top five included this video and one of C-VIlle's finest hitting the man in the wheel chair.

[thinking free]

The wheel chair fiasco made it nation wide. I guess Longos lugnuts were glad it was county popo.

[Guardian]

C-Ville Patriot wrote:

<quoted text>At that hour of the morning when you see a car that is traveling at rate of speed an officer has a DUTY to investigate.

An investigation conducted at that speed might overlook something small,like maybe a pedestrian in a crosswalk, you know like the women on Rio Road, not that long ago.

[Guardian]

Im Ya Huckleberry wrote:

<quoted text> I do not believe I have a conflicted view of society. The officer swore to protect the life and property of citizens. How are his actions, as evidenced by the video, in keeping with this oath? The perpretator could have been Osama Bin Laden and it still would not justify the officer's actions when there were other, more viable, options available. A high speed pursuit in a residential area is a disaster waiting to happen. What would your opinion be if the house that was destroyed contained a child sleeping in a crib and killed because of this chase?

They will say it was all the criminals fault, deflection works great when you can put all the mistakes made during the arrest on a dumb perp, and these are the same people that preach being accountable for your own actions. A cop could shoot an unarmed priest in church on Christmas morning in the middle of a sermon, and he would have still his defenders in this forum.

[thinking free]

A car going 80 mph is not under control, inertia dictates what this automobile will do given any directional changes by the fool at the wheel. You can not bend the laws of physics. the lugnut driving that patrol car was nothing short of lucky he didn't encounter another mass. The only thing driving that automobile was his ego, not his brains.

[I know]

thinking free wrote:

A car going 80 mph is not under control, inertia dictates what this automobile will do given any directional changes by the fool at the wheel. You can not bend the laws of physics. the lugnut driving that patrol car was nothing short of lucky he didn't encounter another mass. The only thing driving that automobile was his ego, not his brains.

Brains i wonder if a very tiny town should require its police chief to use some brains? Guess not good decision making not a requirement.LOL LOL LOl