06:57 AM CST on Wednesday, November 23, 2005

By Jeff McShan / 11 News

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It seems that HPD has had some sort of chase occur each week for the last few weeks.

Those chases can be deadly to officers, suspects and innocent people, but when should officers back off?

When you run from Houston police, there's a good chance officers won't give up until they catch you.

That policy, however, could be changing.

A first draft policy has been written and is expected to be in place by the first of the year.

"I just think that sends the wrong message out to the public," said Police Union President Hans Marticiuc.

He believes the proposed new changes, which he has seen, are being pushed by administrators not to help fight crime, but to protect the city from potential lawsuits.

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Denis Verdecia was killed when his car was struck by a vehicle being chased.

Denis Verdecia's family had a lawsuit like that.

He was tragically killed when a man who was being chased by HPD slammed into his car earlier this year.

"To me it's a position the city is taking to cover its own butt in regards to liability. If they don't want us to chase, why don't they just come out and tell us we're not going to chase any traffic violators? Basically, that's telling the crooks out there to just go on and do what you want and get away with it, because we're not going to be chasing you," said Marticiuc.

HPD'S Legal Service Director, attorney Craig Ferrell, said liability is not why HPD is reviewing its policy, but that it's just time.

Marticiuc said the preliminary changes would not allow officers to chase drivers who take off from traffic stops and to use their own discretion in other situations.

"What concerns me is the way the language is in this policy, is that it dumps it immediately back in the laps of the officers. The officers end up taking full responsibility and the city gets off scot-free on their policy," Marticiuc said.