Kerre Woodham: Control of the streets gifted to revheads

The report on pursuits will increase the number of drivers who thumb their noses at police. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

The Independent Police Conduct Authority report on police pursuits released this week pretty much hands the highways over to the hoons.

The report analysed 137 pursuits reported over the five years to December last year. During that time 24 people died and 91 were seriously injured. Some were innocent victims; most were those who suffered the consequences of trying to take on the cops.

The report found that few of the pursuits uncovered evidence of serious crimes other than those associated with the offender's driving, and the authority chair Justice Lowell Goddard says the risks outweigh the benefits. Really?

And what possible benefit is there in allowing a young man, fuelled with testosterone, aggression, chemical substances and a rage against the machine, to stick two fingers up to a police officer and embark on a high-speed joy ride through city streets?

Unlike Justice Goddard, I'm reluctant to hand over the roads to young men to use as their personal racetrack.

Police assistant commissioner Viv Rickard said he would read the report and accepted its findings and recommendations.

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? That's what he's paid to do.

He's unlikely to say that the silly woman has further undermined police authority and what on earth does she suggest police do when lawbreakers fishtail in front of police patrol cars?

I'd increase the penalties for running from police. If it's their car, crush it. If they've stolen it, lock 'em up. The reason these oiks put people's lives at risk is because they have no respect for police authority. And with this report, Justice Goddard has done nothing to improve the situation.