Hey Marc,

[Tony Baloni]

You ever get to be in a car chase?

[Steel2Velvet]

You?

[Tony Baloni]

Me? I wish. But since Im not a cop, if I was in a car chase, odds are I'd be the one going to jail at the end.

[Tenacious_Peaches]

OJ? Is that you?

[RonJonSurfer]

A 25 MPH chase....

[Shawna]

Tony, you can go on ride-alongs with cops if your record is clean, and get to be in the car chases with them.

[Tony Baloni]

Or I could be a stunt driver and get to be in fake car chases

[Blue Fish]

Ah Car chases...the marathon for whippits....

[Tony Baloni]

Whippits??

That's a whole other adventure..

[Blue Fish]

Ever let one lose on the high-way? HEAVEN for Whippits...running here there and everywhere, spoilt for choice!

[Tony Baloni]

No. But Isaac Brock did. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Brock_(musician)#DUI.2C_attempted_murder_charge.2C_jail_time

[Steel2Velvet]

... odds are I'd be the one going to jail at the end.

Where's that winning attitude? Ain't you ever watched Dukes of Hazzard? Outrunning cops is easy.

[miamisammy29]

Yeah, really! If two retarded hillbillies can do it, I'm sure just about anyone can!

[MarcM]

I have been in 3 pursuits in my 18 1/2 years as a deputy. One got cancelled by my watch commander because it was "not a serious enough crime" (a stolen car) and the other two were after reckless drunks. They both crashed. The adrenaline rush is incredible, and it is very hard to control it, especially at the end of the pursuit and the suspect is no longer a threat.

As for the next question people usually ask me, no I have never shot anyone. I have been shot at once, but I was unable to see where the rounds were coming from, so I did not shoot back. I have come close to shooting people several times, the most recent being a guy who shot at some people at a party from a car. He did not see me parked up the street and was quit surprised to see me right behind him after he fired. I am glad he did not try to shoot it out with my partner and me. I have shot rubber projectiles at people as they were rioting when I worked the jail, and I have tased 2 people so I would not have to beat them with my baton.

Anything else you want to know?

[Shawna]

My nephew has been in several high speed chases just in the short time (4 years or so) that he has been an officer. These chases all involved stolen cars, and since Tucson is right near the border, that makes sense, I suppose.

[MarcM]

That does make sense. All but one of my pursuits were down in the LA basin. Now that I have been up in the hills for the last 11 years, my chances for a chase have gone down quite a bit. I guess it is because there are not a lot of options as to where one could go. Suits me fine.

[Lea]

I have an ex-cop friend that said the worst thing he could imagine was walking up to a car to write a simple ticket and end up being shot. Even worse he said was being put in a position to have to shoot someone.

That was over 20 years ago. He later became police chief and was happy to retire. I used to ride with him sometimes and I always remember him telling me that.

[MarcM]

I dont know any cops that want to get in a shooting. I pray that if I do, it is the right decision. You only have a split second to make the decision to shoot or not shoot, and if you are wrong, you or someone else may not be going home ever again.

[Shawna]

here in town just a couple of nights ago there was an incident where there was a home invasion, and the homeowner pulled a gun on the intruder, who also had a gun.

The cops show up, the wife tells them, "Look out! He's got a gun!" The cops see the husband holding a gun, and thinking that's the intruder, they shoot him. He was not wounded seriously and will make a full recovery... but jeez, what a situation.

[MarcM]

nOT A GOOD SITUATION, FOR SURE!