As highlighted on the front page of this week’s Taber Times, Taber Police Service was involved in a high-speed chase of a suspect in the early morning hours last Thursday.
It was the second of two police pursuits that were called off with the Lethbridge Regional Police calling off their pursuit as well due to public safety concerns. The knee-jerk reaction, especially those already critical of the men and women in blue is this action simply encourages suspects in law enforcement cases to flee capture knowing police officers will likely give up the chase.
But there are many facets that police have to consider when pursuing an individual.
Last week’s case involved someone with a suspended driver’s licence. What if police had continued their high-speed pursuits in Lethbridge or Taber and an innocent bystander either on the street or in their vehicle were struck?
Those same people criticizing officers for lack of action would probably be the same ones yelling of the overzealousness of law enforcement agencies over someone with a minor offence.
But say the suspect in question being chased was wanted for a very serious offence liked repeated aggravated assaults, armed robberies or murders.
Then very well police agencies should be under the microscope of how vigilant they were in their pursuit of a suspect that if left to get away, would likely cause future harm to the public.
In the end there are no easy answers to the very difficult job  law enforcement officers have to do in their day-to-day lives.
Perhaps one answer is even harsher sentences on the books for flight from a peace officer.
It may certainly be food for thought in the more minor cases like last week’s involving the Taber Police Service as it is mind boggling to fathom why someone with simply a suspended license is now facing charges of assaulting a peace officer, flight from a peace officer, obstructing a peace officer, disqualified driving and dangerous driving.
A huge PR campaign highlighting harsher sentences for flights could give someone second thoughts to putting the pedal to the metal and may end up saving a life.