I saw something on Dan Rather the other night that totally perplexes me!
They showed scenes of police chasing two criminals in a pickup truck who refused
to stop, went through an intersection, were struck by a semi, and killed.
Mr. Rather, who I deeply respect, seemed to insinuate that it was the police's
fault these two men were killed, which is nowhere near the truth. These
men were criminals. True, they were only accused of stealing a lawn
mower, but the police have no idea what other crimes they may have committed.
It is the police's duty to pursue and apprehend criminals. That's what
we pay them to do. When the criminal refuses to stop and surrender
and forces the police to pursue them, whatever happens from that point on,
is the criminal's responsibility, not the police's.
If the police failed to apprehend these people, and they go out a few days
later and kill innocent people, the police have been derelict in their duty.
If we let criminals know that if they start driving erratically, the police
will break off pursuit and let them go, they will simply do this whenever
possible.
We have got to smarten up and let the police do their job, and not criticize
them when those they are pursuing prefer suicide to prison.
Let's stop worrying about the guilty and start worrying about the innocent!
"Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner."