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In reply to the discussion: University of Alabama police officer kills naked student [View all]byeya
(2,842 posts)the concensus is - although it varies from department to department and agency to agency - to prevent people from getting hurt, maimed and/or killed. Some departments take into account the violation the driver has been said to commit: If the driver has a tail light out and runs from a cop, then some departments say to break off the chase and try to locate the driver later because of the danger of innocent people being killed. If the driver has just held up a liquor store and killed the owner, then the chase will go on until the driver/murderer is captured.
Some officers are killed on the side of the road while interviewing a person they've just stopped by a third motorist acting on hatred for law enforcement. Others are killed in auto accidents while responding to calls for help.
Last year was one of the few years where more officers were shot to death than killed in motor vehicle accidents.