Calls to rethink 'no pursuit' policy
Queensland's 'no pursuit' policy has young hoons taunting police during chases, with one report of a teenager calling authorities to complain officers should not be chasing him, the Courier Mail reports.
An 18-year-old offender phoned Policelink and triple zero, when he was behind the wheel of a stolen car in Brisbane's south last week, bragging the pursuit was becoming dangerous and should be aborted.
The controversial policy, which was introduced last year, was designed to save lives, but the the most recent issue has prompted renewed calls to scrap it.
"The entire system has become dysfunctional, with criminals now taunting police and the courts refusing to enforce the mandatory penalties in legislation," police union president Ian Leavers told News Limited.
"Criminals know police have a 'no pursuits policy' and we have just seen a frightening increase of criminals deliberately taunting and stalking police in their cars, knowing full well police are not allowed to pursue them."
New Police Commissioner Ian Stewart defended the policy, saying pursuits in this instance were not the answer.
"The juvenile behaviour of this offender does not trigger a potentially life-threatening response by police," he said.
"We are increasingly tracing and arresting these individuals in the days or weeks after incidents like this and they are facing the courts. They may have their juvenile fun but the harsh realities of their actions will catch up with them.
"To pursue these people, we would very likely be making a dangerous situation far, far worse, especially as they have only usually committed minor traffic offences. To do so is to endanger not only our officers but members of the general public who are innocently going about their lives.
"There are circumstances where more serious crimes have been committed, and where not pursuing may lead to a greater danger to the public, and in those instances the policy does allow our officers to pursue."
