By Dana Strongin, The Wichita Eagle (Kansas)
Three people have died in vehicle pursuits with Wichita police this year -- the same number as the previous five years combined. That has prompted police to review their chase policies to determine whether changes are necessary.
Thursday, Police Chief Norman Williams and Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz discussed possible revisions with bureau commanders.
Partly in response to the public’s concerns about the chases, police invited reporters to sit in on the discussion.
Police revised the policy in 2001 and consider it to be one of the country’s strictest.
That revision was provoked in part by a 1999 chase in which a shoplifting suspect ran a red light at Douglas and Oliver. The suspect struck another car, killing Dale and Joyce Cauthon of Independence.
The chase sparked public criticism and comment, just as this year’s fatalities have, police said.
“We get a lot of citizen opinion when it comes to pursuits,” Williams said.
“Some people think we’re just there to hook ‘em and book ‘em,” Williams said, but he contended that safety is the department’s No. 1 concern.
“If there’s something we need to do differently, we’re going to do it.”
One policy change police discussed Thursday is making sure that, whenever possible, the supervisor in charge is not physically involved in the chase.
“They need to be away from the event managing it,” said Capt. Ken Atnip of Patrol South.
Police also said they think the policy could more clearly state that officers should not continue dangerous pursuits of traffic violators, such as speeding motorists, who are not wanted in connection with another crime.
“Speed alone... that’s not a reason in and of itself to continue the chase,” said Stolz, who supervises the department’s field services.
After working with a focus group of residents, police will turn their proposed changes over to Williams, who will decide if the policy should be revised. The process should be finished by mid-January.
Three officers have been disciplined for breaking policy in the past three years, Stolz said. All three violated the same rule: Officers should discontinue a called-off chase as soon as possible.
Also, when a pursuit involves critical injury or death, police will usually have an outside agency investigate, then turn the case over to the district attorney for review.
This year, the Kansas Highway Patrol has investigated both of the chases that resulted in fatalities.
In one of those cases, a19-year-old woman was sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court this week.
Kelly Collins was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for second-degree murder in the July death of Claude D. Smith, 23, who was riding in the stolen car Collins was driving as she tried to evade police.
The status of the other investigation was not available Thursday. Police spokeswoman Janet Johnson said Highway Patrol investigators had planned to reconstruct the accident, but she was not sure whether they had yet.
Stolz said those two accidents are among his biggest concerns about this year’s pursuits.
Williams said chases keep police supervisors up at night.
Some changes since 2001 have helped police rest easier. About 80 percent of the patrol cars now have “stop sticks” to slow suspects down. And last year, police started calling Williams or an on-duty commander when chases started getting too long or dangerous.
Officers also seem to be more aware that they can call chases off on their own, without a supervisor’s word, said Capt. Terry Nelson of Patrol West.
Police said they’ve been scrutinizing their pursuit policy annually because it’s a high priority.
And a policy is necessary, Stolz said, because suspects don’t always just pull over as he wishes they would.
“I don’t know if we’re right in what we’re doing,” Stolz said, but there are a lot of tough decisions to make.
It’s a matter of balancing two potentially dangerous scenarios, he said.
“I hate car chases. But I also hate letting felons go.”