Police stated that they had to chase the car driver due to “concerns for the safety of the driver and other road users”.
The vehicle eventually stopped after turning on to its roof on playing fields in Wheeler Street.
Parents were understandably exceptionally concerned for the welfare of their children. One said “…surely going up a 20 mph street with a school at the end of it is not something they should be doing.” While another said “I’m not impressed. It’s very irresponsible isn’t it?”
The vehicle police were giving chase too hit a stationary unmarked police car outside the school and crashed through a fence in to the playing field.
Police defended their actions and argued that they had no choice but to chase the vehicle, Chief Superintendant Colin Andrews, of Humberside Police, stating “Had we not done so there was a strong likelihood of serious or even fatal injury.”
“All the drivers involved are highly trained and were following established guidelines and we will debrief to see if there are any lessons to be learned.”
This is a catch 22 situation for the police force as no doubt had they left the driver to their own devices and he had caused a serious accident they would have been subjected to derision for failing to do enough to stop him. Concerns are always going to be voiced and expressed where there is a risk to children in any scenario, whether police are involved or not, and rightly so. However, as the Chief Superintendant states the officers are trained to handle this type of incident and no doubt they include an assessment of the risk of injury to innocent parties in any operation that they undertake. Taking that training in to account and weighing up the risks of letting the driver carry on, you have to asses that the officers made the correct call in this situation.