Editorial: Police right to give up chase

SOME people will lament the one who got away, but in calling off their pursuit of a driver hooning through suburban Wanganui streets on Tuesday, police made the right call.
Police pursuits of suspects have come in for a lot of attention, with many calling for police to review policy on the practice. Such a call is understandable given more fleeing drivers were killed in police pursuits last year than the previous four years combined - 18 in total.
Police Minister Judith Collins has rejected calls for a review, taking a hard line on offenders. This will be a view shared by many, but consider the example this week in Wanganui: one suspect evaded police while driving at high speed through streets lined with homes - houses where children live. Would it have been better that police continued their pursuit in dogged fashion without heed for any innocent bystanders?
Yes, it is unfortunate that the driver got away, but better that than someone losing their life or being seriously hurt as a result of this individual's desperation to avoid capture.
In many ways the police are damned if they do and damned if they don't - they have let a suspected criminal get away and sent a dangerous message that fleeing is an option if you have something to hide. But if they had continued, they would have been vilified should any harm have come to anybody or for damage to property.
Of course it is better to keep unlawful, dangerous drivers off the road, but that must be balanced with the need to protect the safety of the public. No, in this case, the officers got it right.