Case Studies with Questions and Answers
5. Motor Vehicle Chase
Motor Vehicle Chase Scenario:
You are going on a ride-along with a police department to get some extra hours for your internship. Your internship coordinator, who was a former police officer, has set this ride-along up for you with his old department. During the ride- along, you hear a radio transmission that a stolen motor vehicle chase is heading in your direction. The officer you are assigned to for the day activates his blue lights and siren and heads toward the chase. You are speechless when you observe the stolen vehicle hit a tree and the driver and passengers of the stolen vehicle “bail out.” There is a foot chase, and officers from many surrounding departments join in on the foot pursuit. You see the driver tackled and disappear in a sea of blue. Several officers from the various jurisdictions jump on the driver. Punches and kicks are thrown. You see batons being used on the driver. When this is over, everyone jumps back in their vehicle and drives off. You hear a gruff voice yell out to an officer who stayed in his vehicle: “You’re the new guy — he is your prisoner.” This rookie officer, who was not involved in this incident, approaches the driver and handcuffs him as he lies on the ground. You can see the driver is battered and bloodied. You hear him sobbing as he is lifted off the ground. This is the most horrific, yet exhilarating, thing you have ever witnessed. You secretly record the entire incident on your cell phone. You see the officer to whom you were assigned heading back to the cruiser. You place your phone in your pocket. The officer hops back in the vehicle. He looks you square in the eyes and says: “if you want to work in this field, forget everything you just saw and keep your mouth shut.”