Officer down

The Red Star reports the death of a Lino Lakes police officer while helping to apprehend a piece of garbage who was fleeing in a stolen vehicle. Sadly, the criminal survived.

A Lino Lakes officer was killed Tuesday evening while trying to stop a man fleeing police on Interstate Hwy. 35W near County Rd. 23. Police had chased the man from Wyoming in Chisago County when he reached an area in Lino Lakes where an officer had spread a spike strip to flatten his tires. The southbound suspect veered into the median, hit the officer standing near her car and then hit a northbound van, the State Patrol said.

Our prayers are with the unnamed officer.

This event may cause howls from the feel-good crowd, who likely will call for an end to all police chases. This, of course, will give a green light for all criminals to flee the police. Many criminals drive unregistered, stolen, or other vehicles with unclear ownership, thus negating the ability of the police to track the driver down later if no chase is given.

Rambix rejects calls for no chases. Instead, fleeing criminals should be chased hard, and taken down with extreme prejudice. They should be charged in a court of law commensurate with the potential harm they cause by their chosen actions. That's all.

Our understanding is that the officer has a family. God bless them.