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Rabat – Moroccan police will no longer chase vehicles that break laws, to avoid collateral civilian casualties and injuries, Morocco’s Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit said on Monday.
The decision follows a police chase in Casablanca that resulted in the death of one civilian and two others sustaining serious injuries. The chase ended with the apprehension of the suspect, who will be facing the court at a later date.
Instead of chasing down a violating vehicle, law enforcement agents are now advised to record its data, such as its model, color and license plate, and use that to track down its owner through police databases.
Law enforcement agencies are always working to inform their employees to enforce the law with “firmness and insight” while always recalling rules that ensure civilians’ safety, the minister added.
Laftit stressed the importance of being professional and safe in the event that a chase must happen in the case of particularly egregious violations or suspects, adding that the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) adopted a fieldwork plan to discourage reckless driving from police forces.
The minister’s remarks followed a written inquiry from parliament representatives about the phenomenon of reckless speeding to intimidate police members, citing the aforementioned chase in Casablanca as an example.
Read also: Road Death: Patrol Police Officer Under Investigation in Casablanca
Similar accidents have happened before, with investigations being opened into patrol men in the past for reckless engagement.
Last year, a young man died in a traffic accident as he was being chased by motorcycle patrol officers.
“My son Youssef was killed by policemen who ran after him because of a helmet. One of the policemen in the motorcycles pushed my son in a violent way, which led to the killing of my dearest boy,” Youssef’s mother wrote on Facebook when the accident happened.
