Accident in Auckland

[rxtoy]

not facts but according to yahoo witnesses are reporting that the cops weren't even chasing anyone just to mix it up a little more....................

tragedy no matter why it happened anyway.

cheers
Matt

[Lanius]

He was allegedly taking another route to cut off the runner (iirc from the article).

I'm with Revvy on this one, I hope the cops involved don't catch any unnecessary flack, unless its proven there was negligence involved. The entire situation is unfortunate, but a witch hunt won't fix anything.

[Adamal]

No matter what the situation, its not like the cop purposly went out of his way to cause harm to the kid.

[edwagon]

From what I gather from the media, the cop was doing around 70kmh, with lights and sirens, didn't manage to stop in time for the pedestrian crossing and clipped a car which was stopped at the crossing, causing the police car to spin and knock over the pole, which fell over and hit the child.
Not exactly a predicatable outcome as far as the pole falling on a pedestrian!!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10455887

Its always difficult when a member of the public is injured in a police pursuit, and I'd hate to think of anyone I knew getting hurt, but what is the alternative? stop chasing fleeing drivers? so the crims know that all they have to do is hold off for a few kms, get the speeds up a bit so the cops will have to back off? What do you think will happen then?

I'm with Revvy on this one, I hope the cops involved don't catch any unnecessary flack, unless its proven there was negligence involved. The entire situation is unfortunate, but a witch hunt won't fix anything

X2

[barryogen]

Facts and police bashing aside...

Personally I'm amazed at the different terms applied by the media because there was a cop driving.

If I came over the brow of a hill at 70 in a 50 zone, near a school , I'd be a deemed to be "a lunitic boy racer with complete disregard for the law".

If I "clipped a stationary car", I would have been deemed to have "crashed into a stationary vehicle".

I'm all for the cops to chase pricks if they run, but a little consistancy in the reporting would be nice.

[Mr Revhead]

but a little consistancy in the reporting would be nice

i spose you also want world peace

[Lanius]

Facts and police bashing aside...

Welcome to NZ Media 2007

Stuff.co.nz is frequently the object of criticism for precisely the inaccuracies you're describing. Just have to read everything with a grain of salt and a touch of cynicism and you'll be fine

[pc]

I reckon the cops are just average Joes doing a job, and as such shouldn't be allowed to exceed the speed limit.
It's been deemed too dangerous for the public to exceed the speed limit, so why is it not dangerous for cops to exceed the speed limit?

[Mr Revhead]

they dont say its not dangerous

they recieve training to minimize the risk.
sometimes shit happens
id rather have shit happen than to just let the $&#$% of this world get away

[edwagon]

I reckon the cops are just average Joes doing a job, and as such shouldn't be allowed to exceed the speed limit.
It's been deemed too dangerous for the public to exceed the speed limit, so why is it not dangerous for cops to exceed the speed limit?

ay?

Speed is only dangerous when it is wrong for the conditions - and as far as Im aware, part of police training is high speed driving, making them 'qualified' to drive fast as part of a high speed pursuit. I would imagine that a large part of this training involves recognising when it is 'safe' to continue pursuing a suspect at more than the speed limit.

This makes them not just 'average joes'

[TURCEL]

I reckon the cops are just average Joes doing a job, and as such shouldn't be allowed to exceed the speed limit.
It's been deemed too dangerous for the public to exceed the speed limit, so why is it not dangerous for cops to exceed the speed limit?

ay?

Speed is only dangerous when it is wrong for the conditions - and as far as Im aware, part of police training is high speed driving, making them 'qualified' to drive fast as part of a high speed pursuit. I would imagine that a large part of this training involves recognising when it is 'safe' to continue pursuing a suspect at more than the speed limit.

This makes them not just 'average joes'

Yeah its the age old... "If they dont chase then everyone will do the runner". Just like how american's never negoiate in a hostage situation.

[IH8TEC]

I reckon the cops are just average Joes doing a job, and as such shouldn't be allowed to exceed the speed limit.
It's been deemed too dangerous for the public to exceed the speed limit, so why is it not dangerous for cops to exceed the speed limit?

thats one of the dumbest things i've read in this post

[postfach]

does anyone know if the driver training continues after they leave police college? if it doesn't perhaps this is something that should be looked into, if you want to be on your game, a few months of training when you're a new recruit isn't really enough, you need regular practice so that when you're called upon to use those skills, it comes naturally.

[slighty_sykotic]

does anyone know if the driver training continues after they leave police college? if it doesn't perhaps this is something that should be looked into, if you want to be on your game, a few months of training when you're a new recruit isn't really enough, you need regular practice so that when you're called upon to use those skills, it comes naturally.

Generally no.

Traffic units have courses yes.

[barryogen]

Speed is only dangerous when it is wrong for the conditions - and as far as Im aware, part of police training is high speed driving, making them 'qualified' to drive fast as part of a high speed pursuit. I would imagine that a large part of this training involves recognising when it is 'safe' to continue pursuing a suspect at more than the speed limit.

This makes them not just 'average joes'

although I fully agree with what you said...

I wonder what happens to a cop pulled over for speeding while not on duty... I mean they've had the training and so are "qualified" to be speeding.

and yep, I am "one of those people"

[deaf_rattle]

i wonder if those blacktops will be going cheap

[Mr.Phreak]

I wonder what happens to a cop pulled over for speeding while not on duty... I mean they've had the training and so are "qualified" to be speeding.

While they may be qualified, they still need cause.....

They train them in the use of firearms too, can't say I've seen many wandering around shooting people

[pc]

does anyone know if the driver training continues after they leave police college? if it doesn't perhaps this is something that should be looked into, if you want to be on your game, a few months of training when you're a new recruit isn't really enough, you need regular practice so that when you're called upon to use those skills, it comes naturally.

Yup, I've got a mate who trained to be a cop (and is a cop). And their driver training was pretty minimal. I drive fast a lot more regularly than him and he's not intersted in cars in the slightest. In my eyes he's no more qualified to exceed the speed limit than any other average Joe.