A recipe for disaster: Victoria Police defends ‘no chase’ policy

Victoria’s top roads cop says not much has changed since the ‘no chase’ policy came into effect.

Police are not allowed to pursue vehicular offenders after rule changes made in July. 

But Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Doug Fryer told Neil Mitchell it has just formalised what was already happening.

‘79% of pursuits were self-terminated in the first three minutes, because the risk (of a crash) was so extreme’ Mr Fryer said.

Mr Fryer said some police officers were frustrated that driving offenders need to be let go.

‘It is a little unpalatable for them not to chase the bad guy,’ he said.

‘[But] protection of life and property for the community will always take primacy over arresting an offender.

‘Under the old policy, we were having about 145 pursuits every month – that is a recipe for disaster.’

LISTEN: Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer talks to Neil Mitchell about the ‘no chase’ policy