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Kristie's Law
introduced in Legislature
- By LARRY MITCHELL
- Chico Enterprise-Record Staff Writer
- February 2004 -- Police in California would only be able to chase drivers who pose
an immediate risk of hurting or killing someone, if a bill
introduced Friday by State Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley,
becomes law. Senate Bill 1866 (renumbered 1403) would prohibit pursuing motorists who
flee after police try to stop them for such things as traffic
violations and auto theft. Aanestad said his bill aims to reduce the
threat to innocent bystanders of police pursuits something he called
a major problem in California and around the state.
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- In pursuit of citizens' safety
- Senator Sam Aanestad sets up "Kristie's
Law"
- By LARRY MITCHELL
- Chico Enterprise-Record Staff Writer
- January 13, 2004 -- State Sen. Sam Aanestad has released a draft version of "Kristie's
Law," a bill setting minimum statewide standards for police
pursuits. The bill aims to minimize the public dangers of police chases by
limiting pursuits to cases that present "imminent peril" of
injury or loss of life. If the bill became law in its present form, the practice of police
in California chasing suspects for such things as minor traffic
violations, speeding, or car theft would end, according to Brett
Michelin, chief of staff to Aanestad, a Grass Valley Republican, whose
district includes Butte County. Click
here for more of the story in the Chico Enterprise-Record
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- Our families deserve safer police pursuits
- Innocent people caught in the middle of pursuits realize the
individuals who flee are lawbreakers and need to be punished to the
fullest extent of the law. However, the actions of police should never
create an enhanced level of
danger to the surrounding public or to the officers themselves. Of course, the criminals need to
be caught ...but in a safer way. A car -- even a police car --
racing through our streets is equivalent to a 4,000 pound
missile. Victims advocate groups believe peace
officers, in many instances, can catch the "bad guys" in another way ... a much safer
way without putting themselves or the public in imminent peril.
Well-defined pursuit
policies must be followed, and peace officers must always
put public safety first, weighing the risk
of
the crime against the risk of the pursuit to the surrounding public.
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- Excerpt from Pursuing Justice
- Many law enforcement officials and law enforcement
lobbyists argue that chasing and catching the "bad guys"
keeps the general public safe. Not 100 percent true.
Only 10 percent of all pursuits involve violent felons who put the public in imminent
peril ... leaving 90
percent for traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and
non-violent crimes that pose little or no threat to the public unless
pushed into fleeing, says Dr. Geoffrey Alpert, chair, department of
criminology and criminal justice, University of South Carolina.
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- The public may also believe this 90 percent
is now behind bars. Not so. In many states, these suspects are
back on the streets within hours or days. In the Priano's
case, the suspect went home with her mother.
Law enforcement lobbyists repeatedly say, "We need to pursue
because the fleeing person will go on to commit horrific crimes."
Our legislators need to ask law enforcement lobbyists for evidence of this outcome.
The following information is real evidence that more and more innocent people are being
killed and maimed in California pursuits:
Is it not horrific for
a community to lose four innocent people in a pursuit in a Stockton school
zone? The last bell rang and high school students were heading home. As
planned a mother picked up three high school girls -- her two daughters
and a family friend. They never made it home; they never made it out of
the school zone. They were hit by an 18-year-old fleeing from police in
a stolen truck. Click here for more of the story.
Is it not horrific that
a newlywed is now a widow and must bury her husband, a Fresno County
Sheriff Deputy? An innocent bystander, this deputy was not involved in the
pursuit. Nevertheless, he lost his life over a stolen truck. Click here for more of the story.
Is it not horrific that
an innocent 15-year-old community volunteer in Chico is killed and
then for her parents to learn that not one of the girls in the
suspect's car was taken into physical custody on the night of that pursuit?
In fact, the driver was not taken into physical custody for 23 days ...
and then to receive only one year in juvenile hall. Click
here for more of the story.
Is it not horrific to learn that
two teenage girls were walking home from their San Diego school, only
to be killed as a car fleeing from police rides the sidewalk?
Is it not horrific that
a 4-year-old girl was killed instantly as she held her mother's hand
while waiting for a bus? And,
in another pursuit in Ventura County an 18-year-old woman is killed as
a CHP officer hits the car in which she is a passenger? She and her
date were on their way home from a Senior Ball. Click
here for more of the story.
Sadly, very sadly, this list could go on and on because California leads the nation in the number of
innocent people killed in police pursuits. In many cases, the
suspects being chased could have been caught in a different way ... a
much safer way.
Top
Something to think about
. . .
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Which scenario
is safer? An unlicensed driver on the road? An unlicensed
driver on the road fleeing police, now driving recklessly and at a high rate of
speed?
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Which is more
valuable? A stolen vehicle? A human life?
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What makes
sense? A pursuit law that puts Public Safety First.
What went wrong
in Stockton?
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- "Even
calling it an 'accident'
evokes a negative reaction of the way Desiree died (i.e. police
pursuit)."
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--
Ron and Adell Guzman, parents of Desiree, age 14
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Let's stop dangerous and unnecessary pursuits
before another family has to suffer through this preventable tragedy.
Here's how you can help!
California State Senator Sam Aanestad moves "Kristie's Bill"
forward
By LARRY MITCHELL
Chico Enterprise-Record Staff Writer
January 30, 2003 -- Senator
Sam Aanestad said he will introduce legislation aimed at reducing the
dangers of police pursuits. Mark and Candy Priano met January 29.2003,
with Aanestad, a Republican from Grass Valley who represents Butte
County. Aanestad told them he'd reserved a spot for a bill. Click
here for more of the story.
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