By Sarah Roebuck Police1
INDIANOLA, Iowa — High-speed pursuits can put police officers in unpredictable circumstances, but for one officer, his life will be forever changed.
On April 1, Sergeant Scott Dwyer with the Indianola Police Department was attempting to stop a female suspect during a high-speed pursuit, WHO13 reported. The woman was barreling toward the city at 90 miles per hour. Dwyer deployed stop sticks, but due to windy conditions, the sticks blew around and got caught under the suspect’s vehicle.
“It got caught under and what I believed happened is that cord came up and severed my fingers,” Dwyer told WHO13.
Dwyer was taken to the hospital. Other first responders were able to find Dwyer’s fingers, but they weren’t able to be reattached.
Dwyer returned to light desk duty on April 10, but is unable to use two fingers on his left hand.
This video, guided by insights from risk management expert Gordon Graham, offers a detailed examination of best practices and safety considerations that can protect both officers and the public during high-risk vehicle pursuits.