Citation

Waddington PAJ. Policing (Oxford) 2010; 4(2): 119-126.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/police/pap057

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article examines the role of the 'critical friend' to the police by focusing upon a particular issue--police pursuits. The outward-facing role of the 'critical friend' defends this police tactic from ill-founded criticism. The inward-facing role is to alert police officers to the gross discrepancies between the way that officers justify pursuing at high speed on public roads that inevitably places the public (and their property) at risk, on the one hand, and the caution they exhibit in dealing with firearms incidents. It recommends that police worldwide should re-consider pursuit policies and adopt tactics that reduce risks. The use of static road-checks is offered as a viable alternative.

Language: en