Chase police suspended over biker's death
Officers suspended from driving duties after Dad-of-five is killed in hour-long pursuit
EIGHT TRAFFIC police officers have been suspended from driving duties after a motorcyclist was killed in a 50-mile chase.
Alan Long, 54, failed to stop after police tried pulling him over for a routine check, says the Daily Mirror's website.
The hour-long pursuit involved a police plane and convoy of squad cars, before Mr Long crashed. He died hours later from his injuries.
Yesterday an independent inquiry was taking place after it emerged that the control room told officers to STOP the chase.
Mr Long had taken his 1000cc Yamaha out for a spin when police tried to pull him over in Denton, Greater Manchester, to check his documents.
The dad-of-five drove off and a patrol car pursued him then called for reinforcements. The force's air support plane was scrambled and followed him as he sped along the M60 and local roads. Alan, who has 13 grandkids, hit a VW Polo leaving the driver with minor injuries. He was badly hurt and his condition deteriorated and he died.
A source said yesterday: "Some are wondering why a convoy of squad cars plus the force aircraft had to be scrambled to chase a motorcyclist."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed an inquiry will be conducted. It recommends that bikers are only pursued if they have committed a serious crime.
Discuss this story
"pulled him over to check his documents?" Obviously he didn't have any (and therefore isn't a biker)
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 16:54
"pulled him over to check his documents?" Obviously he didn't have any (and therefore isn't a biker)
Obviously he deserved to die then, eh? Pillock!
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 17:10
its always puzzled me why people just dont stop for a police car when ordered to. surely only one of two things are going to happen, you'll end up dead or an innocent member of the public end up dead. is it really worth it when compared to a £60 fine and 3 points. what are the police expected to do? if they are to stop the chase because it is deemed to dangerous then surely that allows criminals (and i'm not saying the guy in question was) to push and push until the police call it off.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 17:32
I don't see how the police can really be blamed for causing his death. He was asked to stop. He failed to stop. There must have been a reason why he failed to stop, whether that is no insurance,riding whilst banned etc etc. Maybe he was hoping the police would not chase the bike. He was wrong and paid the ultimate price. if the police followed full persuit procedures then IMHO they should not be held accountable for the death. The only thing that I can see they did wrong fromt he reports, is not stop the chase when ordered. I do think that the police plane should be used, then the persuit office can hold back and wait for it to unfold and still know where the offender/suspect is.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 17:50
+1, i'm sorry he died, and more for his family who'll have to live with it. one has to say though...if he had stopped, he'd be alive
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 18:32
Is the suspension a standard practice whilst they conduct an investigation? I don't think there's any suggestion that the police did anything wrong. It's a complete waste to run from the police risking your life, the fines and / or points are virtually irrelevant anyway.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 18:38
Is the suspension a standard practice whilst they conduct an investigation? I don't think there's any suggestion that the police did anything wrong. It's a complete waste to run from the police risking your life, the fines and / or points are virtually irrelevant anyway.
I believe it is. When a death happens by accident involving the old bill I'm sure those involved are suspended to ensure a fair investigation.
I reckon it's the old 'fight or flight' thing that kicks in when you're approached by the police??
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 18:54
Is the suspension a standard practice whilst they conduct an investigation? I don't think there's any suggestion that the police did anything wrong. It's a complete waste to run from the police risking your life, the fines and / or points are virtually irrelevant anyway.
I believe it is. When a death happens by accident involving the old bill I'm sure those involved are suspended to ensure a fair investigation.
I reckon it's the old 'fight or flight' thing that kicks in when you're approached by the police??
surely the only reason that you would "flight" is if you had somting to hide
otherwise why?
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 19:01
+1 but that is at a young age, most would have at that age now if i did see the dredded blue lights behind, i would almost certainly pull over and take what was coming the risks not to are more severe than i would fear to imagine, whether getting caught, or as above not making it home just my opinion
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 19:08
I think what you're all trying to say is the idiot deserves it. I mean my sympathies are with his family but if you're told to stop then that's what you do.
What a shite statement that is...you need to take a fucking look at yourself and your values chum. You dont know his situation or why he decided to fuck off. And to be quite honest the way the police act in a chase is ridiculous anyway. Do you really need a convoy of cars and a police helicopter ( all at public expense) to chase somebody on a bike. Its like all the propaganda programmes you see on TV.... Loads of coppers chasing some chavs in 200 quids worth of knicked shagged out escort. Whats the point, it's why we have insurance isnt it.(Different story if he is wanted for murder/rape or something serious but we dont know that so why make crass comments)
Or is it because the filth love the thrill of the chase and dragging out some spotty youth through a side window and giving him a bit of a kicking..and therefore showing how masterful and manly they are... and you must be living in cloud cuckoo land if you think the filth are always correct and/or straight.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 20:04
+1 but that is at a young age, most would have at that age now if i did see the dredded blue lights behind, i would almost certainly pull over and take what was coming the risks not to are more severe than i would fear to imagine, whether getting caught, or as above not making it home just my opinion
I was agreeing with this post not the one from Leon!!
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 20:07
I think what you're all trying to say is the idiot deserves it. I mean my sympathies are with his family but if you're told to stop then that's what you do.
What a shite statement that is...you need to take a fucking look at yourself and your values chum. You dont know his situation or why he decided to fuck off. And to be quite honest the way the police act in a chase is ridiculous anyway. Do you really need a convoy of cars and a police helicopter ( all at public expense) to chase somebody on a bike. Its like all the propaganda programmes you see on TV.... Loads of coppers chasing some chavs in 200 quids worth of knicked shagged out escort. Whats the point, it's why we have insurance isnt it.(Different story if he is wanted for murder/rape or something serious but we dont know that so why make crass comments)
Or is it because the filth love the thrill of the chase and dragging out some spotty youth through a side window and giving him a bit of a kicking..and therefore showing how masterful and manly they are... and you must be living in cloud cuckoo land if you think the filth are always correct and/or straight.
He definitely didn't deserve it, nobody deserves to die in a chase, irrespective of what they've done.
By the same token, I'd be pretty fcuked off if the police just let them run - who's to say the person they're letting go, won't go and smack into an innocent bystander. There's a midpoint between the two posts above, that may be a more pragmatic solution.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 20:10
Suspension isnt normal procedure..so something is clearly not right. Maybe suspended from driving duties. As they had gone to the expense of scrambling the copter why didnt they just watch from a discrete distance until he ran out of fuel or hid up. Its the thrill of the chase emotion coming into it, especially after the control room has ordered for them to suspend the pursuit. ( if indeed thats whats happened!!??)
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 20:54
The officers in question are clearly suspected of something or they wouldn't have been suspended? Perhaps if they had followed orders then this chap might still be with his family. Of course he should have stopped but perhaps he panicked at the thought of a ban or more points on his licence?( A lot of us are teetering on the edge of a ban with this governments obsession with speed cameras) How can these clowns be allowed to screech around fulfilling their Dukes of Hazzard schoolboy fantasies? I am not saying that there shouldn't be police chases but eight cars and a police spotter plane are not proportionate in this case.
Posted: 08/08/2008 at 22:08
for all who are sayin alan deserved it your all wankers n so are you who slag him off he was a good man n a fuckin mint dad! no1 can replace him he was the best bike rider i knew anyway. n the police were up his arse in the chase so to you's who say its not there fault then your wrong they shud of backed off wen th plane was out n they dint
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 00:15
Nicola101 Don't take what some people have said to heart. It is easy for them to judge as they sit at their ivory keyboards. Condolences to you and your family.
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 00:21
I think what you're all trying to say is the idiot deserves it. I mean my sympathies are with his family but if you're told to stop then that's what you do.
What a shite statement that is...you need to take a fucking look at yourself and your values chum. You dont know his situation or why he decided to fuck off. And to be quite honest the way the police act in a chase is ridiculous anyway. Do you really need a convoy of cars and a police helicopter ( all at public expense) to chase somebody on a bike. Its like all the propaganda programmes you see on TV.... Loads of coppers chasing some chavs in 200 quids worth of knicked shagged out escort. Whats the point, it's why we have insurance isnt it.(Different story if he is wanted for murder/rape or something serious but we dont know that so why make crass comments)
Or is it because the filth love the thrill of the chase and dragging out some spotty youth through a side window and giving him a bit of a kicking..and therefore showing how masterful and manly they are... and you must be living in cloud cuckoo land if you think the filth are always correct and/or straight.
And that statement shows how little you know of Police procedure and how events can unroll during these incidents......actually, make that just anti-police.
18yrs i've policed and i don't get a 'buzz' chasing anything nor do i need to flex my muscles during an arrest. We have no idea why people run, it could be any manner of reasons. But we are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. If the chopper was up then i would imagine the cars would have dropped off as per force policy, the amount of vehicles used would have been for an eventual containment should the subject decamp and go on foot. Either way it will all be investigated. More importantly may i offer my condolences to the family during this difficult time for them.
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 08:05
More importantly may i offer my condolences to the family during this difficult time for them.
totally agree with you on that.
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 11:31
I am a triffic officer, an advanced driver, trained in pursuit, stinger and T-PAC tactics. When the police are involved in a pursuit, there are 13 pointers they have to consider. These include, age of driver, type of vehicle, offence, road conditions, public presence, is the driver known, manor of driving, is it necessary, time of day, is it stolen, your own experience. Now, reading this story, i am not too sure, but i dont think that the police would have told the paper that the officers were told to abort but didnt, until the investigation was concluded, so take that with a pinch of salt. However, i do believe that they would have been told to abort, due to it being a motorcycle and the helicoptor being up. Once the helicoptor is up, there is no need to pursue, as it can follow until he stops. If they have been told to abort but didnt then they WILL get into trouble, possibly to the point of being dealt with for death by dangerous. The problems we have, is that for any response or pursuit we HAVE to have both the lights on and the siren, to warn other road users of our presence. When we have the siren on we cant hear the radio, and the control cant hear our transmissions due to the noise it makes, so we turn it off, putting ourselves and other at risk. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. As has already been said, we are damned if we do and damned if we dont. As for chasing some spotty youth in a nicked £200 shagged out escort, its all good and well having insurance, but the person who gets hit on a crossing or on the field when they go off road isnt so fortunate. And that nicked escort is someones property too, so should we just let them go? The guy should have stopped but didnt. The police should have aborted but didnt. Nothing can bring him back. R I P fellow biker. Ps, i dont know about the thrill of the chase, as its quite scary. But i do love driving my big volvo around legally at 140mph, and who wouldnt? I get my buzz from arresting some burglar or robber, and being in traffic i still do look for them and lock them up (despite what you may think about traffic officers).
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 12:19
Interesting debate, it is unfortunate for his family and of course for him that he did not do the sensible thing and stop, but that happens sometimes. Given the number of police cars and the helicopter only a total half-wit could imagine he would get away from them. It's an undeniable case of natural selection, natures way i am afraid. And the comments regarding a £200 escort etc are a little wide of the mark, what ever the value of the vehicle or the type of person driving it, if the police indicate you stop..... then you do, very simple really. If not, then you can potentially kill yourself (and passengers) or even worse you kill other people around you, either way, the law is there to protect us all and it needs to be adhered too. N.B No i am not a police officer just someone who has little tolerance for idiots.
Posted: 09/08/2008 at 15:07
Will all of those who believe the chase should have been ended earlier please inform the Police that if their bike is stolen under no circumstances should they try to stop it.
I would be happy with that if I thought someone was going to get killed over a lump of metal that should be insured anyway!!
Posted: 11/08/2008 at 23:11
Im mark from stalybridge, I live opposite where Mr Long Crashed , i had the perfect view from my flat window , about 20 metres in distance . Alan Long was LEGAL on his bike . Its a 1000 Yamaha , why would he spend that much cash to be Illegal on it . When he crashed i was watching out the window , it took the ambulance 25 minutes to get here , then two came at once . The police officers did not seem interested with Alan Long at all and he was left alone on the floor screaming in agony and i could see him trying to wriggle about to get up , Not one of the Officers on the scene attempted to keep him calm and stable . I counted 7 traffic patrol Vauxhall Vectra's directly behind him , and it took me 2 seconds to get to the window , they were the two most blood curdling bangs ive ever heard in my life , the first was the Impact of the Bike and car , the second was when Mr Long hit the Traffic light post . And ill never forget being a witness to that I hope the officers can live with themselves , I know it would of been safer for Mr Long to pull over but no one knows his frame of mind at that time , he apparently had an argument before the chase . No matter what crime was committed , no man deserves to suffer on the way to death alone on the road in pain , i am disgusted by the police that night , totally unprofessional and all parties deserve to lose their job , i mean whats mr longs life worth ? Surely at least that much for them to never be able to pursue again . Yes he should of Stopped but they should of stopped pursuing when the control centre said Abandon Chase . .
Posted: 12/08/2008 at 04:13
Oh and i want to say that everyone who is making sick comments..........your all fucked in the head , seriously . This isnt the first case of police brutality ive been witness to , 6 years ago when i lived home in Moston , our mate Ben Cooper suffered exactly the same fate at the hands of the police and their huge Ego's where they deem an arrest more important than a life . Ben paniked exactly the same as Alan will of , and now he isnt with us any more because the police couldnt give him room to think . Rest In Peace Alan Long And Ben Cooper , two of the 26 On Manchesters Roads to Suffer Police Brutality . Nicola , ive sent you a message to your inbox , send one back .
Posted: 12/08/2008 at 04:38
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