Concerning the recent shooting in Charleston SC. Seeing the recent released video from the dashcam of the patrol car leaves me with a big question. Why bother to even chase the guy ?
The cop has his license, registration, and the car is right there. Just impound the car and file a warrant for him fleeing the scene.
Why not just do that ?
Two answers the come to mind are:
The suspect, particularly if suspected of being armed, may be dangerous to the population at large. No cop wants to let a guy go only to have him carjack somebody 5 minutes later.
Interactions between the population and the police are often very confrontational, and the reports around this one indicate it was as well. In a confrontational encounter, letting the other party escape is often seen as losing, which is generally not tolerated by those in positions of authority.
If it becomes known that all you have to do to avoid arrest is run away, how many people will be arrested? Pretty much just those unable to run away.
Rule 1: Cardio.
Chasing the guy is fine, shooting him is illegal.
Related question, I didn’t see a tail light in the dash cam video. Did I miss it?
Arresting someone who is standing in front of you is WAY easier than arresting someone you have to find. Letting him go means you are changing a 2 minute chase into who knows how many hours of searching, waiting and trying again and again to find the guy. All to arrest him for some petty crime.
It wasn’t obvious at first in the video, but it was heard in the video (the police dashcam released after the shooting video). Michael Slager said Mr. Scott’s third brake light was out, as he was speaking to him at the car following the stop.
Apologies for the interruption, but I’m confused. This thread doesn’t seem to be about a “long-running discussion[s] of the great questions of our time.” I didn’t think this particular forum/board was for current events.
I reckon the nature and practice of policing laws is a pretty long-running discussion. As is the use of force by the state.
How do you know the cop was given a legitimate drivers license, registration, and who actually owned the car?
The cop made a traffic stop. The driver didn’t provide proof of registration or insurance, but did hand over a drivers license. Was the DL a fake?
What does it mean when a driver abandons their vehicle and flees the scene? Is the vehicle stolen? Is there a body in the trunk? Had the driver just robbed a gas station? Raped a family? Really, really, really had to go to the toilet? Was avoiding an outstanding warrant?
He thought he could out run him.
And then remembered he’d just eaten and changed his mind.