In Pursuit of Common Sense

LEAA's Kevin Watson appeared on MSNBC "Scarborough Country" on June 18, 2003

At issue was the policy on high-speed pursuit. LEAA argued that politicians shouldn't respond to accidents in high-speed police pursuits by handicapping law enforcement with a no pursuit policy, they should provide some tough punishment for the criminals whose law breaking actions cause the pursuit in the first place.

Just as they do with gun control arguments, liberals want to blame anybody but a violent criminal for the tragic repercussions of a violent crime. The simple truth is that commiting a crime is obviously dangerous. Driving fast and recklessly is dangerous. Placing citizens lives at risk of deadly harm is dangerous. When somebody chooses to prey upon law-abiding citizens, they embark on a course of action where injury to themselves and others is likely and the penalty for those injuries should rest on the criminal who created the hazard.

Adopting a no-pursuit policy will only encourage criminals to flee, knowing they have only to stomp the gas pedal to get away with their crime. This is fundamental logic.

Joe Knows!
Talk show host Joe Scarborough sums up the real impact of a "no pursuit" policy, a bad decision that will lead to more deaths, more rapes and more crimes.