Police call off three pursuits

High speeds of suspect vehicles too great a risk to public safety

Saskatoon police officers were involved in three instances of drivers fleeing too fast for police to follow safely.

The three short police chases happened at about 8:20 p.m. on Friday and 1:10 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Saturday.

In the first incident at 8:21 p.m., an officer saw a vehicle with a stolen licence plate at 20th Street West and Avenue P, according to a police news release.

The officer followed the vehicle southbound on Avenue P to 11th Street and called for other officers to assist.

The suspect drove eastbound on 11th Street, but once police activated their emergency equipment, the suspect fled, turning northbound on Avenue H.

“Police aborted the evade police incident due to the risk posed to the public as a result of the way the suspect was driving,” according to the news release.

The second incident at 1:11 a.m. started at 22nd Street West and Dalmeny Road.

A driver disobeyed a red light in front of a marked patrol car, but when the officer tried to stop the vehicle, the driver fled westbound on 22nd Street at a high rate of speed and left the city.

The officer did not follow. The third incident at 2:03 a.m. started at Lorne Avenue and Melville Street when police observed “a suspicious vehicle.”

When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver fled northbound on Lorne Avenue and then westbound on Ruth Street at a high rate of speed.

Again, officers aborted the incident due to the risk to the public.

Anyone with information on any of the incidents is asked to call the Saskatoon Police Service at 306975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.