PursuitWatch Promotes Safer High-Speed Police Pursuit Policy

Updated 2007 - The advocacy group and website PursuitWatch.org, which seeks to promote safer and more uniform police pursuit policy, has established itself over the years as an advocate for change. Organized by Jim Phillips in 2003, the group PursuitWatch seeks to promote safer police pursuit policy and the elimination of unnecessary police pursuits. Jim’s daughter was killed in 2001 in Orlando by a suspect engaged in a police chase.

Since its inception, the group has worked to support uniform pursuit policy and adherence to that policy. The group supports a common sense policy of pursuits only in cases where violent criminals are involved. PursuitWatch gained some notoriety in 2004-2005 in Orange County, Florida, when the advocacy group noted widespread disregard of police pursuit policy during an audit of Orlando vehicle police pursuit forms. The advocacy group is also responsible in part for a change in the Orange County high-speed police pursuit policy. However, far from being a police-bashing advocacy group, PursuitWatch seeks to promote conscientious change and thoughtful discourse on the subject of police pursuits and police pursuit policies across the country.

Both the founder of PursuitWatch Jim Phillips and Candy Priano, another advocate for pursuit reform, are united by similar tragedies: their daughters were killed by a suspect in a high-speed police chase. Jim Phillips passed away in 2006, but his son John Phillips continues to carry on efforts at reform well recognized and respected by advocates, police, and lawmakers alike.

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See Also

  1. High-Speed Police Chases
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