Man in hospital after police pursuit

A police report released this week found a ban on pursuits was unlikely to improve or guarantee public safety. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A man is in a serious condition after a police pursuit in Palmerston North this morning ended with a vehicle slamming into a truck - a day after schoolchildren were imperilled by a fleeing vehicle that mounted the curb at speed during a chase in Hamilton.

The incidents follow a police report released Thursday that found a ban on pursuits was unlikely to improve or guarantee public safety.

Police have recorded 1280 police pursuits so far this year, from January 1 to July 22, with 199 ending in crashes, six deaths and 61 injuries.

Today's pursuit began after police noticed a vehicle driving too fast in a 50km/h zone on Tremaine Ave in Palmerston North about 1am, Senior Sergeant Brett Amas of Palmerston North police said.

The pursuit ended less than a minute later when the vehicle crashed into the side of a semi truck and trailer unit which was turning into a fuel stop.

The unlicensed driver suffered multiple injuries and was taken to Palmerston North hospital in a serious condition.

Police are investigating and the crash will be reported to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

The crash comes a day after police abandoned a pursuit because the vehicle they were chasing endangered a group of schoolchildren in Hamilton.

Constable Mark Strongman said the red Subaru WRX was driving at speed on Tomin Rd when the driver mounted the footpath near the children heading to school.

"Given the risks involved the pursuit was abandoned immediately," he said.

"Not only was this person posing an extreme risk to other road users but put innocent children in peril as well."

Police have asked the owner or driver of the car, registration number UB4321, to hand themselves in.

Last year there were 2512 pursuits, with two ending in deaths. There were 2153 pursuits in 2008 with six deaths and 2435 in 2007 with three deaths.

The report said a ban on pursuits was unlikely to improve or guarantee public safety, and it was questionable whether the public would support a policy allowing offenders to flee police.

"If criminals know that police will not pursue them, or have so many restrictions placed on them it renders pursuits futile, then the job of police to uphold the law not only becomes difficult, but almost impossible," the report said.

It recommended more staff training, limiting the number of vehicles involved in pursuits and expanding the abandonment criteria, and abandoning pursuits once an offender's identity was known and they could be apprehended later.

The report also made recommendations on risk management, including an assessment by police on whether their actions were proportionate to the offence and whether their decisions and resulting actions were justified.

Superintendent Paula Rose said the report did not cover everything, and police would continue to review and refine the pursuits policy.

- NZPA