THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501270014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
Regarding the high-speed chase of a DUI suspect which tragically resulted in the deaths of two innocent individuals: Rather than condemn the suspect, a man already facing charges of DUI before this most recent incident, your recent article appears to lay the blame on the police officers. Perhaps it would have been better to allow this drunken driver to drive around town?
It would of course be better if all fleeing suspects chose the O.J. Simpson route and proceeded down the road at a sedate speed. I believe, however, that the bottom line is that there would be no high-speed chases if the suspects were not running from something.
At what point are we going to stand up and support our men and women of the police department? These brave individuals lay their lives on the line for our society every day. They are not cowboys or Rambo wannabes. We as a society have decided that we require police protection and enforcement of the laws which keep our society from dissolving into anarchy and chaos. These individuals have volunteered to take on that responsibility.
I mourn the senseless deaths in this incident. I do, however, blame the drunken driver and not the officers trying to remove him from the road.
I do hope the gentlemen get their promotions.
ROGER PHELPS
Chesapeake, Jan. 23, 1995 by CNB