Tweet

Rating: 0.0 (0 votes)

• • 

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Recent police chases in southeast Missouri have spurred renewed debate about whether officers should pursue fleeing suspects.

The Southeast Missourian reports that two recent traffic stops - one in Cape Girardeau and on near Perryville - turned into dangerous chases.

Police in the region agree that chases are often a necessary evil. But some residents say the risk is simply too great.

Jackson resident John Pfefferkorn largely opposes chases. He had a relative killed in a chase decades ago, when the relative was a teenager. Pfefferkorn says it was a young man who was not a criminal, but a recent driver's license recipient who was afraid of getting a ticket.

The FBI says one person dies every day as a result of police pursuits.