OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – Oakland police say they’re investigating if one among their officers engaged in a pursuit to chase a dashing automobile that crashed right into a pole, sending the driving force to the hospital. The police pursuit coverage has precipitated lots of controversy in Oakland, with many residents and even the governor saying it is time for the town to get extra strict.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell stepped in entrance of the cameras Tuesday, in the future after the chase. Mitchell stated latest video proof exhibits what occurred.
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“It depicts our officer making a u-turn at the intersection of International. The officer activates their emergency lights and then observes the speeding vehicle collide with the fixed traffic pole,” he stated.
These moments between when the Oakland Police Division officer turned their lights on and when the dashing automobile crashed will likely be key to figuring out if an officer did in reality pursue the automobile.
“That will be fully flushed out during the investigative process,” Mitchell stated.
The police pursuit coverage in Oakland is difficult. It states that officers can solely pursue a suspect if they’ve cause to imagine the suspect has a gun or is committing a violent crime. Neighbors have rallied this yr demanding a change, and small enterprise house owners say police may have stopped burglars from ransacking her retailer however didn’t.
Even Gov. Gavin Newsom has known as on Oakland police to alter its pursuit coverage if it desires to maintain seeing mutual support from California Freeway Patrol.
“Right here in Oakland, with a purpose to think about extending this state sponsored partnership, we particularly are going to wish to see modifications within the pursuit coverage,” he stated.
KRON4 requested chief Mitchell about this particular case from Monday, if his officer is discovered to have initiated a pursuit.
“If a pursuit did occur they would check if it fell in or out of policy,” he stated.
He additionally wouldn’t decide to a timeline of when their investigation may end.
