Post by WaTcHeR on Jun 5, 2006 12:13:43 GMT -5
6/03/06 - DALLAS, TX - Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle tightened police-pursuit restrictions and, on the same day, fired five officers for alleged misconduct.
Kunkle made the changes Friday, beginning with the dismissals of three officers and two sergeants.
"These involved people using the power of their positions to do things inappropriately," Kunkle said. "All of this is indicative of a pattern. We're going to look at every one of our management practices in the department."
Alleged offenses included sending a taunting e-mail, failing to report misconduct and pulling over a tow truck employee who had towed one of the officers' vehicles.
Kunkle and other commanders met with the accused officers Friday and later announced the dismissals at a news conference. All five have access to an appeals process.
Kunkle continued his day of crackdowns by implementing stricter police-pursuit policies, reserving the action for situations involving only the most violent offenders.
He said the limitations were imposed because of the "inherent danger of pursuits."
"In my view, the city will be a much safer place to live," Kunkle said. "We'll have fewer citizens killed and injured as a result of this policy and fewer officers injured or killed."
According to Kunkle, Dallas officers will now be permitted only to pursue fleeing motorists who have committed violent felonies, such as kidnapping, rape, murder or robbery. The previous regulations allowed police to chase drivers for traffic violations and other Class C misdemeanors.
Other changes to the policy include forbidding Dallas officers to join chases by police from other jurisdictions unless the fleeing motorists are suspected of a violent felony.
"I believe we will establish a new standard for pursuits in North Texas," Kunkle said.
At least 10 people have died in accidents involving police chases since 2004, The Dallas Morning News reported. Kunkle ordered a review of the chase policy after a man fleeing in a stolen vehicle fatally struck another motorist in August 2004.
Experts said they felt the more stringent regulations would decrease the number of such incidents.
Kunkle has "taken a huge step forward, a very progressive step forward in making Dallas a safer place," said Geoffrey P. Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina. "It's what progressive chiefs are doing in other cities."
But seasoned law enforcers have said they feel limiting chases could promote crime.
Kunkle made the changes Friday, beginning with the dismissals of three officers and two sergeants.
"These involved people using the power of their positions to do things inappropriately," Kunkle said. "All of this is indicative of a pattern. We're going to look at every one of our management practices in the department."
Alleged offenses included sending a taunting e-mail, failing to report misconduct and pulling over a tow truck employee who had towed one of the officers' vehicles.
Kunkle and other commanders met with the accused officers Friday and later announced the dismissals at a news conference. All five have access to an appeals process.
Kunkle continued his day of crackdowns by implementing stricter police-pursuit policies, reserving the action for situations involving only the most violent offenders.
He said the limitations were imposed because of the "inherent danger of pursuits."
"In my view, the city will be a much safer place to live," Kunkle said. "We'll have fewer citizens killed and injured as a result of this policy and fewer officers injured or killed."
According to Kunkle, Dallas officers will now be permitted only to pursue fleeing motorists who have committed violent felonies, such as kidnapping, rape, murder or robbery. The previous regulations allowed police to chase drivers for traffic violations and other Class C misdemeanors.
Other changes to the policy include forbidding Dallas officers to join chases by police from other jurisdictions unless the fleeing motorists are suspected of a violent felony.
"I believe we will establish a new standard for pursuits in North Texas," Kunkle said.
At least 10 people have died in accidents involving police chases since 2004, The Dallas Morning News reported. Kunkle ordered a review of the chase policy after a man fleeing in a stolen vehicle fatally struck another motorist in August 2004.
Experts said they felt the more stringent regulations would decrease the number of such incidents.
Kunkle has "taken a huge step forward, a very progressive step forward in making Dallas a safer place," said Geoffrey P. Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina. "It's what progressive chiefs are doing in other cities."
But seasoned law enforcers have said they feel limiting chases could promote crime.