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High-speed chases wisdom questioned
Published 10:48pm Wednesday, September 19, 2012To the editor:
When are the police going to stop chasing and killing people?
Leona Falk
Dowagiac
Editor’s note: Her letter was accompanied by a newspaper clipping about 15-year-old Niles High School freshman Jazmyne Rodriguez losing her life crashing a stolen pickup truck into a tree off Yankee Street in Cass County on Sept. 9.
I guess the police will stop chasing people who flee in stolen vehicles when they stop stealing vehicles. The thieves choose to run when they could pull over and stop like law abiding people are expected to do.
When will people realize you just can’t run from the police?
The problem that high-speed chases create is the fact that innocent bystanders (pedestrians, drivers, passengers–sometimes young children) all too often get caught in the crossfire, so to speak. Once upon a time high-speed chases were illegal. THAT is the way it should still be!
Jazmyne was my sister and if people dont know the full story needs to keep things to themselves. what if it was your sister or brother would you say what you say now, lets just say for example your sister or brother was with your father cause for some reason your mother couldnt take care of her and he was abusive and the courts and police didnt believe her and she was trying to get away if you knew this about your family would you judge another family thats greaving have a heart and show smypothy for others thats whats wrong with the world we have to much hate in our hearts and we judge to quickly before we judge one another we first need to look into the mirror and judge ourselves we all sin we are not perfect not one of us only one person can trully judge us and we will answer to him when we leave this earth not you not the police or a court judge people make some bad desidions when they have noone to help them maybe we turned our backs is why things like this happens
To Jazmyne’s sibling… Very well said. Its a shame that adults cannot see things as simple as some children do (Im assuming you are not an adult yet). I feel so deeply for you and your family. My daughter was a friend of Jamnynes and I have asked myself over and over, why did the police chase her. God Bless you!
I agree. The girl was 15 yrs old and obviously trying to escape a bad situation… She might not have made the right choice in the situation, but, she was 15….. God bless her and her loved ones….
The police were doing their job…chasing a thief who had no regard for her life or those who she might encounter, include law enforcement. Make all of the excuses you want…she broke the law and the police were doing the jobs we pay them to do. Simple as that. Imagine the outrage if she had killed someone after the police elected to let her get away with the crime she freely and willingly elected to commit.
this is jazmynes Brother again no i am a adult i am 36 in taken Criminal Justice Oct 15th and to the one jiving on Jazzy and not having any heart for the greaving family you must have a family member in law enforcement well theres alot of police out there that breaks the laws. murdering their wife pulling someone over and beating the tar out of them.wanna talk about breaking the law the two sisters who died when the driver BROKE THE LAW!!! AND DIDNT STOP AT THE STOP SIGN now two young girls are dead its very sad and im sorry for the family my heart goes out to them.
What a tragedy!!
In no way is there a possibility to put on a positive spin in such a situation. There is a chance to examine the protocol in such situations though.
I have personally witnessed situations where police (in my opinion) have reacted in such a manner in other instances that was certainly not justified in dealing (pursuing. physical treatment. searches. etc) with youthful drivers who are less experienced behind the wheel and more apt to make a bad decision while driving.
Obviously every situation is unique and in no way am I trying to pass judgement on anybody in this case. A life was lost and every effort should be made to keep it from happening again.
My deepest condolences to this young lady’s family and friends. As well as the officer(s) involved in this tragedy.
Being an ex- police officer, I have had exerience in high speed chases, I beleive their is a time to go in hot pursuit after some one. Certainly discreation has to be used. #1. you need to consider the type of crime committed, Is chasing this person going to put some else in danger. Is it possible to get a license # and locate the party at later date. A police officer has to think of alot of things in seconds to make a pursuit. This type of public service is a rough job, as well of Fire and ambulance. People making decisions on behalf of other people. Lets hope we can learn from each other to make the right decesions in our life.
Jazmynes brother again i forgot to add people has to react expecially christians that looks down on people why cant we look outside the box maybe her friend gave her permission then got scared and reported it stolen maybe something like that happen
This is Jazmyne’s sister and for one she never stolen the car her friend gave her the keys and then later on when the parents asked where it was he said jazmyne stold it and so you can gtof about that and she was running for her piece of crap father and we think one of the cops hit her to make her hit the tree there was blue on the tree and if she hit the tree full on how the heck could she roll 40 yards away from the tree and plus theres more then one thing of tire tracks so before opening your mouths about my sister check the facts thank you
Loss of life is a hard hit for any reason, so put yourself in the shoes of cops you do their job for a day, the uniforms and cars look nice but that’s just the start. Police make split second decisions that could mean the difference, Mabey the person has killed someone, kidnapped, or child obduction, I would not presume to pass judgement on police officers about their job they deal with the type if people we only read about so donate some money to a policeman fund or ride along with them its not all about doughnuts haha.
So lets consider that the police, doing their job, had seconds to assess the situation. They must have thought she would excape out of the country, never to return to school or home. Or maybe they felt she was a danger to the community, bearing weapons, a curling iron or something. Sadly she can never return to her studies, friends or family.
It’s time people begin taking responsibility for their actions, rather than trying to make excuses for them. Jaz could have pulled over any time during the chase. The officers in pursuit didn’t force her to flee…it was their hope, intent, and job to get her to stop. She chose not to. Unfortunately, she paid the ultimate price. But…making excuses for inexcusable behavior is NOT the solution to this unfortunate situation.
I think the police, after spotting the (stolen) vehicle, could have followed her until she parked the vehicle. This would have not put lives in jeopardy. They could have been discreet and kept their distance and perhaps she would have not known that she was being followed. Once parked they could have boxed her in.
I’ll say it again: at one time high-speed pursuits were not allowed for the simple fact that it kills many innocent victims every year all over the country! Cops included!
There is absolutely no justification for risking public safety and precious lives to pursue motorists, at high speeds and in a dangerous manner.
These tragedies have occurred in many jurisdictions over the years, resulting in either the banning of such chases or their severe limitation to pursuits of serious criminal violators.
A quick Internet check will find an endless set of news stories, articles and editorials about innocent victims who were killed or seriously injured merely for accidentally being in the path of some high-speed pursuit.
It can be argued that even putting the public at risk in this manner violates our constitutional right to equal protection under the law, as well as being a form of unreasonable search and seizure (of our motor vehicles, in such cases) banned by the Bill of Rights.
How would you feel if an innocent family member were in the wrong place at the wrong time? I’m sure you would feel much differently about high-speed chases. There are other ways of catching a criminal w/o jeopardizing lives of the innocent. High-speed pursuits should be banned everywhere!
There is so much I could say here!!! I am very sorry for your loss!!
Did the police know that they were chasing a 15 year old, unexperienced, probably unlicensed driver? Doesn’t the lead vehicle set the speed?
I will say that maybe the family should stop reading the comments here!!! People are entitled to their opinions but you don’t have to read it!!!
I don’t know how you can compare an accident to the willful running from the police! How many of us have blown thru a stop sign or not really stopped for a red light? I am not being cold hearted because I do feel for your family and wish it had not happened! There just isn’t any comparrison between the two situations! The gal driving the car with the 3 girls will have to live with that the rest of her life!!!!! I am thankful that no one else was injured in the chase!!! Again, I am so sorry that your sister died!!!
When police chase vehicles on OUR roads and highways they not only jepordize the people lives they are chasing, they jeoprdize the innocent citizens on the roads or walking. Police should be trained in cases such as this to no when to kick good common sense into play and let go of ther egos if they don’t catch a crook. It was a stolen vehicle….not a kidnapped child. I’ve seen not in just Cass Co., but Nation wide deaths that could have been prevented if only the officers would set their pride aside. This is a case of an officer BULLYING on the road. May God be with the family of the youg girl who lost her life. If that were MY child??? The officer who failed to use common sense would be charged.