Coroner's Finding: LAWRIE-TURNER Kunmanara

Contributing factors

• High-speed police pursuit of stolen vehicle
• Driver failure to stop at red traffic light
• Vehicle traveling at 140+ kilometers per hour in urban area
• Collision with another motor vehicle
• Passenger in vehicle not restrained
• Pursuit continued despite high risk to public safety

Coroner's recommendations

1. SAPOL consider improvements to General Orders to address the reality that some high-speed pursuits will be over in such a short time (2-3 minutes) that managing communications as effectively as the orders presently contemplate is not feasible
2. SAPOL consider use of technological aids to tracking of chases and speeds involved, such as Global Positioning Satellite technology
3. SAPOL address the reluctance of incident controllers to 'break into' chase calls to obtain information relevant to risk assessment, by clarifying expectations and considering whether a dedicated network for high-speed pursuits is needed
4. SAPOL consider the gap between expectations of the Ethical and Professional Standards Branch and actual practice of incident controllers regarding active information-seeking during pursuits