Running From Police “Often” A “Death Sentence,” Former Cop Says

Earlier today we brought you the story of Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Abraham Martinez, whose flying jumpkick has now been officially enshrined in the annals of police dash cam history. As it turns out, we have The Austin American Statesman to thank for the footage. The newspaper recently took an in-depth look at the Texas DPS’ use of force during pursuits. Here’s an excerpt:

The trooper who shot and kicked him, Abraham Martinez, last year received a minor penalty for the incident — three days off without pay. Yet the fact that a traffic infraction could escalate into a lengthy, high-speed motorcycle pursuit ending in gunshots provides a graphic illustration of how a relatively permissive DPS culture of use-of-force during pursuits is out of step with evolving national standards, experts said. A leading researcher on police pursuits, University of South Carolina criminal justice professor Geoffrey Alpert, called the agency’s policy permitting troopers to shoot at fleeing vehicles “stupid.”

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