Cops abandon perp chase for safety reasons
RCIPS patrol car
(CNS): The police have confirmed that officers abandoned a car chase in South Sound on Tuesday evening in line with their pursuit policy regarding safety. The officers were following a wanted man but a number of people got caught up in the high-speed chase, which happened along South Church Street at around 6:30pm, when the road was busy with other drivers as well as people running and exercising in the area. Although there were claims of near misses, there was no indication that anyone was hurt.
Police said the wanted man was not apprehended, despite their efforts to pull him over, because after assessing the risks during the pursuit, as per the RCIPS policy, it was discontinued.
While high-speed chases are often seen as unnerving by law-abiding members of the public, the police have historically defended their pursuits as they have an obligation to pursue people engaged in wrongdoing or who are wanted by police from previous crimes.
But the RCIPS has stated that all chases are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the officers involved and their senior commanders. As was the case on Tuesday, in the event that conditions present a public danger, the pursuit can be called off.
Police stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they continue a dangerous chase people will complain, God forbid they wreck and kill someone but if they give up the chase everyone will complain. Why not publish description of who they were after though, along with car details? Weird.
Taking this as read as not being pre-planned, vehicle fails to stop, drives recklessly, pursuit called off to protect the public. Probably in 30 seconds to a minute. And you expect 1. the helicopter to be sat waiting for such an event in the air. 2. Another patrol at Grand Harbour ready to block the road. The armchair warrior brigade need to get real. Next time, the wanted person may not be so lucky. If they knew he was wanted, of course they know who he is, and they can regroup and go back and get him. But no member of the public has been injured, their cars written off by someone who probably isn’t insured either, and everyone got to go home that night. Pursuits are dangerous for everyone. Well down RCIPS, at tmes is is easier to carry on than make the call to stop.
One good reason to avoid high speed chases is that all the patrol vehicles are left hand drive which makes it doubly difficult to overtake and raises the risk for oncoming traffic.
Glad to see someone else thinks like me, with common sense. And those cars are a tad too big anyway for our narrow (and get narrower) roads. They used to have small sized right hand VWs in the not too old days. Never should’ve switched to American gas guzzlers!
9:59 I don’t know what year you was born, I was born 1948 in Grand Cayman and I can tell you the first cars on this Island was big as America could make same as what’s in Cuba if you want I can give make and models
They have right hand drive as well plus a brand new helicopter
So many police experts on this site. Why don’t you become a police officer or volunteer to help the police. Anyone can complain.
I for one did, for years, and was horrified by the incompetence.
The helicopter is right hand drive
Tethered traffic drones would be a cheap and effective solution (way cheaper, and faster to deploy than a helicopter), with low training, can fly for 10+hours covering 10km, can “paint” the suspect vehicle with laser facial recognition/night vision, and seamlessly hand-off to the next drone (and/or helicopter once airborne) without any chasing at all. The cops can just calmly go to the perp’s house and make the arrest. Local crime would drop considerably, so we could focus our considerable policing budget on the illicit transshipment economies (people, guns, ammo, drugs). The problem is that this regime is abnormally sympathetic to the illicit employers of the region and seem disinterested in investments in credible deterrents, training, or technology.
Seriously, they can’t get basic CCTV to work properly.
well, yeah, there is that, But otherwise the drones sound good. 🙂
Don’t worry people, this perpetrator will be apprehended in due course without fail. This kind of chase often happens in the U.K. where if it becomes apparent that the speed of the chase will endanger the lives of the public it will be terminated. The Police helicopter is not hovering overhead 24/7 waiting for incidents like this just incase they may occur. A small island like Cayman hasn’t got the resources of the U.K. or US at their disposal. The end of the road will run out for these criminals. Considering the vast amount of crime for such a postage stamp of an island RCIPS are doing pretty good in combatting crime. Like i’ve said before, there would be a lot more criminals behind bars if there was a little bit more contribution from the general public. This is what the anonymous phone line is for. As for some critics posting that there are 400 Police personnel, there are NOT thus number working all at the same time just out on patrol. They work on a shift basis over a 24hr period and there are different departments dealing with different crimes. It’s not just Traffic or burglary issues we are talking about. So give RCIPS a break and get the facts right first. After all, the Police aren’t causing this mayhem of crime, it’s the general public.
Apprehended without fail? Want to explain? Police have provided no details on car or registration, and even if they do have those, no much use if the registration isn’t up to date, the owner claims someone stole it or borrowed it, or he sold it and the new guy didn’t update at DVLC.
Spike strip?
South Sound and he couldn’t be blocked in from the ends and walkers rd?? How many patrol cars do we have on the road, 1?
This is the problem. Often it is literally one covering several beats that aren’t theirs. There aren’t sufficient vehicles and dispersion in the community to mount a timely intervention, orchestrate a tactical triangulation, or an impromptu roadblock. 9-1-1 dispatch and responding officers are often fundamentally challenged to know the names of the roads, roundabouts, or their own direction of travel, relative the direction of travel of the adversary. The Motorola P25 technology is useless if we don’t have officers dispersed in the field.
Cowards. Back in the day Velma Hewitt would chase my husband straight home. Dragg him out of the car and beat his ass and carry him direct to Police station. Miss them ole police back in the day. These sorry bunch we have today is a shame
I wonder if they managed to get the color /make and
license plate number of the car , and the time of day .
Probably the answer is no.
They can’t even remove derelict trailers from public beaches and you expect this?!
Let me get this straight. You are advocating violence against someone who has yet to be tried for a crime?
Anonymous 5:15am , can you please explain how anyone is advocating violence ?
South Sound being the key words here. All of the equipment at their disposal, sigh.
Wanted man?
OK cops, now he knows you want him.
1. What’s his name?
2. Where does he live?
3. Where does he work?
4. What does he look like?
You know or have easy access to all of this information. Got him yet?
Why aren’t the police patrolling Shammrock Road daily? I see people breaking the law everyday on this road!!!! It’s a crying shame that this road is ignored!!!
Because it is too far from the station!
Because it’s too far from Camana Bay .
No, it is more likely that because due to pressure, political or otherwise, they seem to refuse to robustly and consistently enforce our laws, in particular against those who will complain to MLA’s.
Where were the million dollar helicopters?
yep…any exucse for the police farce not to do their job.
pure wonderland stuff
Totally understandable. Thank you RCIPS for keeping the safety of the public at the top. I hope you catch the guy and make him pay the price for not caring about the safety of anyone else on the roads. He should never be able to drive on Cayman roads again in his life as a deterrent for others like him. Also no reason to think you could put the helicopter up before he could hide as you know that is just what he is going to do.
Problem now is, the next Bozo is going to try to drive off thinking he’ll get away too.
Just wait…
I got away with ease cops here dont know the roads
I’m going to watch some episodes of Dukes of Hazard tonight, got me in the mood this story…I actually saw the PoPo goind down SS at a very rapid rate of knots, so I’m glad they slowed down before someone got hurt, and as others have said, there are other assets to bring to bear on these situations as well. Hopefully we’ll get a positive update, but I wont hold my breath.
popo? knots? No, please don’t hold your breath; we wouldn’t want to curtail your insightful comments.
We have a helicopter to assist. It could track the car and police follow or radio ahead for other police to intercept.
It was probably busy buzzing around being a nuisance.
Gotta make sure to stop the herb boats.. wouldn’t want anyone brewing a natural medical plant now would we? *puffs on cig*
Dave I would think your family was not on that road!
Sorry officer, but I really, really had to pee
I assume they ID’d the make of car and the licence plate ?
Where was the helicopter?
so much for that million $ helicopter
Will you stop banging on about the helicopter. Its expensive to fuel up you know.
And if it’s not already in the air by the time you scramble it and get it over South Sound pursuit is over.
Helicopter, CCTV, other police vehicles for roadblock?