The Edmonton Sun
EDMONTON, Canada (CP) -- High-speed police chases in Edmonton have more than doubled in the last four years, and the city’s police commission is calling on Chief Fred Rayner to explain why.
“Public safety, rather than law enforcement, is the paramount consideration in any decision to initiate, continue or discontinue a police pursuit,” said commission chairman Martin Ignasiak.
The commission will ask the police chief about the issue at a meeting on Friday. It comes less than three weeks after two teenagers were killed in a crash that followed a brief high-speed chase.
Police statistics show Edmonton officers were involved in 232 chases in 2003, up from 101 in 1999. Calgary police reported only 70 pursuits in 2003.
“I don’t think anyone can stand today and say that they can clearly explain what has led to the numbers being the way they are,” Ignasiak said.
Les Tapio, whose stepson was killed in the most recent incident, said he wants police to change their pursuit policy.
“Too many people are dying,” he said.
Dwayne Gibbs, acting deputy chief of patrol, said citizens aren’t the only ones concerned.
“For a lot of us, it’s scary because we’re out there and it’s our safety as well,” Gibbs said. “We’ve seen pursuits end in ramming of our vehicles, we’ve seen pursuits end in some of our members being hurt.
“This isn’t something we look forward to. If we could avoid all pursuits and protect all people, we’d be much happier.”
Gibbs said he’s not sure why there have been more pursuits over the past four years.
Air 1, the police helicopter bought in part to help police deal with pursuits, was involved in just 24 of the reported chases in 2003 because of poor weather conditions, high call volumes and unavailability due to maintenance.