DODGING BULLETS
I UNDERSTAND the frustration and anger of the Pastorello family regarding their vehicle being stolen, driven dangerously for 12 hours and at the reluctance of the QPS to intercept it despite knowing its location via a GPS tracker (TB, 20/9).
What needs recognising is that the police are not permitted to approach the car in accordance with the QPS Operational Procedures Manual, specifically S15.5.11, Abandoning a pursuit, which states, inter alia: “Officers are to abandon a pursuit when:
(v) the driver of the pursued vehicle is a child, unless the reason for the pursuit the circumstances are so serious it is necessary that the child be immediately detained.”
There are many other provisions for abandoning pursuits.
One can understand senior
QPS officers being reluctant to contravene that section of the manual. For a start there would be a some very difficult questions to answer, particularly if a kiddie driver/passenger is injured in the pursuit. It gets much more complicated if any of the occupants of the stolen car are killed, because it becomes a death in custody.
This leads to very messy internal QPS inquiries, coronial inquiries and has resulted in more than one promising police officer’s career ending.
It must be acknowledged that these kids are unskilled drivers and are feeling 10ft tall and bulletproof. They have no consideration for the safety or wellbeing of any other person. Indeed, it is reported that many are prepared to kill or maim anyone who gets in their way. This is all about self-gratification and recidivist juvenile offenders are well aware of S15.5.11.
I do have difficulty in understanding that if the vehicle was being monitored through a GPS tracker, if there had been a number reported dangerous incidents regarding said vehicle and if it was stationary for periods, why the offenders were permitted a free rein in public for so long. We deserve a better response from Superintendent Hanlon than the stock standard statement.
One thing many citizens forget is that when their car is stolen, it remains their property and they can take reasonable measures to recover it, providing they do so
safely and lawfully. This means they and their friends cannot tear around the streets like demented vigilantes.
They must not break any traffic rules, put their own, or other people’s wellbeing in jeopardy and that includes the offenders. Safety, lawfully – the two key words.
Once the vehicle is sighted, preferably stationary, it should be left to the police to intercept.
However, the policy of “no pursuit” regarding juveniles needs review, allowing the officer in situ to be granted more discretion regarding continuing/abandoning the chase, so that the rest of the public isn’t placed in danger every time these juveniles steal a car. We can’t keep dodging bullets forever. JEFF WILLIAMS, Condon.