High-speed chases defy common sense
That innocent lives are still being needlessly taken due to high-speed vehicle chases is a travesty of justice — and plain common sense.
Yes, perhaps there are circumstances when the pursuit of suspected criminals is justified. However, repeatedly uninvolved bystanders who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time are injured or killed. This is frequently used to apprehend suspects of relatively minor law infractions. Although a hot news topic lately, it continues to occur.
Lawmakers and police must reach a common agreement detailing what should constitute grounds to pursue and when to back off. Surely, other options are available. Perhaps rather than recklessly chase the offender, radio ahead to fellow officers to intervene. These are professionals who are capable of improving the current operational procedure. Lives are genuinely at risk if not addressed.
MICHAEL L. SHAW, STONE MOUNTAIN
When cops pursue, pull over
Regarding high-speed chases, I know it’s tragic when one loses a loved one from this type of incident. My heart breaks for the mother. For the most part, they can be stopped.
The biggest cure for this is not running when the cops/state patrol pulls you over. If you have done nothing wrong, why run? Cops can be as polite as you are if you let them. I had one pull me over as I was doing 20 miles over, but I was trying to get home and go to bed due to painful dental surgery. He was sympathetic and told me to “drive slowly” and go home without a ticket.
I know some people have experienced bad episodes with the law, which is unfortunate. Not all cops are bad, and not all people are bad — but they both sometimes do something bad. Pull over and take your medicine like an adult.
SHIRLEY SOROHAN, ALPHARETTA
Proof of fluoride’s importance
Regarding your article “Dentists: no fluoride in water is bad for health,” (AJC, April 13) about fluoride in drinking water, I’d like to say this: I moved to Atlanta in 1998 at age 43. Upon meeting my new dentist for the first time, I was surprised that the first thing she asked me upon examining my teeth was, “Are you from Connecticut?” I confirmed that I was raised there and asked why she had guessed that. She explained to me that Connecticut was the last state in the Union to put fluoride in their drinking water, and as a result, when she sees clients of my age group with a mouth full of silver fillings, she’s almost always correct that they did not have fluoride in the drinking water during their childhood years.
My advice to your readers: if Georgia passes a no-fluoride rule for our drinking water, please be sure to buy toothpaste with fluoride and get fluoride treatments from your dentist for your children as well as for yourselves.
MICHELE KLEBAUSKAS, MARIETTA
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