By: Brendan Kirby, fox10tv.com
Baldwin County Sheriff Hoss Mack says his department is reviewing the conduct of officers during the chase. He said deputies are required to consider speed, traffic conditions and other factors when determining whether to chase a vehicle.
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that chases by state and local law enforcement agencies resulted in more than 6,000 fatal crashes across the country from 1996 to 2016. Pursuit Response, which advocates improving safety during police pursuits, cites research indicating that 91 percent of all police chases involve suspects who have committed nonviolent crimes.
A model policy by the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends refraining from chases unless the officer has reason to believe the driver “would present a danger to human life or cause serious injury.”