LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There are questions surrounding law enforcement's use of a tactical maneuver also known as a "PIT maneuver" here in Central Arkansas after Arkansas State Police reported multiple deaths in the last few months from using this tactic.
Arkansas State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar said Arkansas is on pace to break an all-time record of the number of pursuits they've engaged in this year alone, which is already approximately 651.
"To just give you an idea, in 2017 I was troop commander and when I was patrolling in the Little Rock area, we had 78 pursuits," Hagar said. "Last year, we hit 324. We're on pace to break that this year. We have 651 pursuits for the state of Arkansas, which would be an all-time record."
Hagar said he doesn't see that number coming down anytime soon due to an increase in the number of pursuits.
"The higher number the TVIs, and unfortunately, likely the higher number of injuries," Hagar said. "Sometimes even fatalities are going to occur."
Hagar said they never want the maneuver to be fatal. However, they wish people would obey the law and stop when law enforcement approaches.
"We do not want anyone to get hurt," Hagar said. "We don't want anyone to be killed, but at the end of the day, we are always going to maintain that clear priority of life, which is the innocent public, then the law enforcement then the suspects."
The high number of PIT maneuvers has left many Arkansans wondering if the tactic is truly the best way to get a person to comply.
"The use of spike strips is where you can deflate the tires on a vehicle," Hagar said. "In order to do that, you have to know where that vehicle is going. You have to have a trooper or police officer set up in the exact area where that suspect is going. The chances of that happening are very slim."
Hagar said the big issue is also manpower. To lay down those spikes, and to block the roads, takes a lot of people, which right now is not ideal as law enforcement is still going through a shortage of officers.
According to Hagar, the quickest way to end a pursuit going over 100 mph is by performing a PIT.
"We're not going just to hope all vehicles are passing on the shoulder," Hagar said. "All the intersections going through that, they're not going to hit someone... not going to kill your family. They're not going to kill my family. We've seen that happen, unfortunately. That's not theory. We know what's going to happen... the longer we let that go on... We believe it's the best practice because it's the most immediate tactic to bring that pursuit to a conclusion."