First, let me say welcome. Contrary to what some have said, this is not a police-bashing site. PursuitWatch does not support the abolition of police pursuits. PursuitWatch promotes safer pursuit policy and the elimination of unnecessary pursuits. As police officers, I would ask you to keep an open mind as you visit these pages. I am open to your suggestions and criticisms. PursuitWatch will publish well-written and reasoned rebuttals to our positions. This should be an evolving learning process for all involved.

Please remember that when the suspect flees, it is you, the police officer, that we depend upon to make the critical life-and-death decisions that affect you, the public, and even the fleeing suspect. The suspect has already made a potentially deadly decision, and how you react to this situation is critical. It is at this point that we rely on your training, professionalism, and expertise to make the critical judgments that determine the outcomes of these events. Sure, “If the bad guys hadn’t run, this wouldn’t have happened.” What is just as true is that once the suspect flees, the police officers involved—most of the time—have virtually as much control of the outcomes of these events as the bad guys.