Wellford Mayor Sallie Peake Defends No Chase Policy

[Tez3]

Alot of it also comes down to how many cops are working on a shift. For example...where I work, the city is broken into 6 districts, with 1 officer per dist. We also have 3 cops that walk Main St. There are some days when you have extra cops that are assigned to one of the other districts, so that is a plus. So, there are days when the calls stack and stack and stack, because its just so busy.

The State Police have huge areas of highway to cover. Some smaller towns here, that don't have a regular PD, are covered by the State Police as well. So its possible for 1 Trooper to cover a portion of the highway, in addition to taking calls in the town with no regular PD.

Yet another catch 22.....people in the city complain that they never see a cop driving thru their neighborhood, but when its time to hire more cops, people complain about the increases that come with that.

Isn't that the truth!!!

 

[Archangel M]

You think liability is an issue NOW? Wait till you see what happens when a jurisdiction is policed entirely by aux.police who don't do the job full time.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

You're damned no matter what.

"We need more cops!"
Ok, we have to raise taxes.

"No tax increases, less taxes"
ok, then less police, fire and other services.

"No, more fire, more police, more services"
ok, but then we have to raise taxes and maybe add a few mandatory fees.

"No, we said no more taxes!".

etc

 

[Archangel M]

You're damned no matter what.

"We need more cops!"
Ok, we have to raise taxes.

"No tax increases, less taxes"
ok, then less police, fire and other services.

"No, more fire, more police, more services"
ok, but then we have to raise taxes and maybe add a few mandatory fees.

"No, we said no more taxes!".

etc

Yup. Then factor in the issues of paying for vehicles, weapons, ammo, training, etc. We dont really need "more cops" where I am, but we would like vehicles that dont break down and a HQ building that wasnt falling apart but we run into the same issue you mention.

 

[MJS]

You're damned no matter what.

"We need more cops!"
Ok, we have to raise taxes.

"No tax increases, less taxes"
ok, then less police, fire and other services.

"No, more fire, more police, more services"
ok, but then we have to raise taxes and maybe add a few mandatory fees.

"No, we said no more taxes!".

etc

Slightly off topic, but realted to this post. I was reading in todays paper, how the Gov. on CT. wants the Dept. Of Corrections, to make cuts. It'll be interesting to see what happens, but I'm sure we'll hear much of what you just said above.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Wellford Mayor Sallie Peake Defends No Chase Policy

Chris Cato
WSPA EXCERPT:

Updated September 18, 2009
(Wellford, SC)—The Mayor of Wellford is defending her policy which bans police officers in that city from chasing suspects. Sallie Peake says the policy also includes vehicle chases along with pursuits on foot.
A memo issued on September 2nd from Peake to all Wellford officers reads:
“As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.“
WSPA first reported the mandate on Wednesday after an anonymous citizen faxed a copy of the memo to our newsroom. Peake was out of town and unavailable for comment. On Friday, reporter Chris Cato caught up with her in her office and questioned her about the origin of the policy. Peake says she issued the mandate because several officers have been injured during chases, driving up insurance costs for the town.
“The officers are costing us more money on insurance than most citizens here in the city of Wellford are even earning,“ says Peake.
She says the city is paying out $20,000 annually in workers’ compensation claims, much of it due to the police force. In July, two officers wrecked their cruisers while chasing suspects and had to go to the hospital for minor treatment. The police chief says three officers have been injured during foot chases in the last two years.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright says the policy prevents police from upholding the law—a direct violation of their constitutional oath.
“If a bank robber or a drunk driver or a shoplifter or somebody with a warrant runs on foot, it’s our obligation to do what we can do to bring them to justice,“ says Wright.
But when we asked Peake about her order impeding an officer from stopping a crime in progress, she became defensive and irate. The conversation went as follows:
Reporter: “Are you telling your officers if they witness a crime - they witness someone commit a crime on someone else and they’re ten yards away - they can’t go stop that person?“
Peake: “Is that in there?“ (referring to policy)
Reporter: “It says no chases whatsoever.“
Peake: “Well, that’s what I said, no chases, didn’t I? I didn’t say nothing about a crime. If you see a crime, this that and the other -“
Reporter: “Well, that’s what a chase is - “
Peake: “Well, I told them no chase on foot, and (the police chief) know exactly what I mean, so you’re trying to twist what I -“
Reporter: “No, I’m not. You said no chases. No chases means no chases.“
End Excerpt
That's it, I'm flying to SC and robbing a damn bank

I would hold off on robbing that bank; she does not say anything about cops being banned from just shooting the fleeing suspect(s).

Daniel

 

[CoryKS]

She says the city is paying out $20,000 annually in workers’ compensation claims, much of it due to the police force. In July, two officers wrecked their cruisers while chasing suspects and had to go to the hospital for minor treatment. The police chief says three officers have been injured during foot chases in the last two years.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright says the policy prevents police from upholding the law—a direct violation of their constitutional oath.

Okay, the vehicle accidents sounds like a training issue, but what's the deal with the foot chases? Were they injured as a result of chasing, or were they injured as a result of catching up to the person they were chasing? I mean, are they not supposed to arrest anyone who doesn't just go along with it?

This just in: police work is dangerous.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Okay, the vehicle accidents sounds like a training issue, but what's the deal with the foot chases? Were they injured as a result of chasing, or were they injured as a result of catching up to the person they were chasing? I mean, are they not supposed to arrest anyone who doesn't just go along with it?

This just in: police work is dangerous.

Maybe they lack regular physical exercise and are getting the equivallent of training injuries.

Daniel

 

[Archangel M]

The odd thing about the story is that the mayor is focused on the workmans comp issue vs. accident lawsuits.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Apparently, workmans comp is costing them more than accident lawsuits.

Daniel

 

[MJS]

Okay, the vehicle accidents sounds like a training issue, but what's the deal with the foot chases? Were they injured as a result of chasing, or were they injured as a result of catching up to the person they were chasing? I mean, are they not supposed to arrest anyone who doesn't just go along with it?

This just in: police work is dangerous.

I would say that a part of the vehicle accidents is training related, with the other half of the blame put on the general public. I've gone on more than my share of ride-a-longs, going code (lights/siren) to a call. Now, its one thing to put your life in someone elses hands, when they're going at high speeds, but now factor in the clueless ones who, a) dont see you because they're too preoccupied with something else, b) do see you, but think that they can still make it across the road, change lanes, etc. before you come up on them.

As for the injuries from the foot chase...all of the ones that I've heard about where I work, were a result of fighting with the suspect after they caught up to him. I dont want to speak for every dept. and injury in the world, so I'm only going on what I've seen and heard where I work.

 

[MJS]

Maybe they lack regular physical exercise and are getting the equivallent of training injuries.

Daniel

And THAT is something that always leaves me scratching my head. You gotta be in great shape before the academy, in great shape during the academy, but after you get out, you can pack on the pounds???

 

[Cryozombie]

You're damned no matter what.

"We need more cops!"
Ok, we have to raise taxes.

"No tax increases, less taxes"
ok, then less police, fire and other services.

"No, more fire, more police, more services"
ok, but then we have to raise taxes and maybe add a few mandatory fees.

"No, we said no more taxes!".

etc

Yeah Bob, but one has to wonder... would we need to raise taxes to hire more cops and firefighters, if (Illinois Anyhow) stopped spending millions to have all the highway signs, DMV paperwork, pamphlets etc re-printed every time we have an election because arrogant assclowns need their name every 1000 feet on the highway, or on every scrap of paper?

Seriously... I dont need to see "I-90 Brought to you by Governer Jim Ryan, and then see it Replaced with "Open Road Tolling Brought to you By Rod Blagojevich" etc etc everywhere I look.

I believe there is probably plenty of money for the important things, as soon as the assclowns stop wasting the rest of it.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I believe there is probably plenty of money for the important things, as soon as the assclowns stop wasting the rest of it.

Tell me about it.

I was in an elevator in Michigan and I noticed that the elevator inspection certificate had a color photo of the county clerk on it. A color photo of the county clerk? On an elevator inspection sticker? That's not a legal document, that's an advertisement.

 

[Big Don]

Tell me about it.

I was in an elevator in Michigan and I noticed that the elevator inspection certificate had a color photo of the county clerk on it. A color photo of the county clerk? On an elevator inspection sticker? That's not a legal document, that's an advertisement.

How many billions could we save if we didn't print forms in 28 languages?
How many billions will it cost us once we start, and it's only a matter of time, printing street signs in multiple languages?