Chicago spends 7 million on cop car accidents

From a fascinating piece by Medill reporter Taryn Luntz:

"Seven million dollars could buy an awful lot of new teachers for Chicago Public Schools. It could help pay for ambitious homeless programs, contribute to affordable housing efforts, or go toward hiring more police officers to patrol the city's most crime-ridden neighborhoods.

Instead, it's how much money Chicago spent last year settling lawsuits for police car accidents."

Yikes!

More fun bits from this story:

-2 police pursuits from 2001 and 2003 accounted for 6 million by themselves
-Though many do, police departments are not required to track their accidents (!?)
-An cop driving instructor asks a sensible question: Why do police departments put up with car accidents when they're so strict about gun use?
-Police pursuits kill about one person a day nationwide.

Link to full story

Also, back in November I covered a collision in Hyde Park in which a squad car collided with a car being driven by a pregnant woman while turning to answer a backup call. It didn't end well for the squad car but the woman was ok.

Pregnant Hyde Park woman hospitalized after collision with cop car