Jake Tapper faults police, not crime, for surge in traffic fatalities
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CNN’s Jake Tapper shook things up on Tuesday with a segment that placed the blame for increased traffic deaths on the police, completely ignoring the lenient policies of blue cities when it comes to crime. Tapper highlighted a year-long investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle, which revealed that the majority of those killed in police chase crashes were innocent bystanders, not suspects.
“Police car chases end with hundreds dead every year in the United States,” Tapper stated. “And most of those killed are not the drivers fleeing from the police.”
Tapper sat down with Susie Neilson, a data reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle and co-author of the report, to discuss the findings. Neilson emphasized that while experts agree that police should be allowed to pursue individuals suspected of violent crimes, the reality is that the majority of these chases are initiated over minor infractions.
However, Tapper and Neilson conveniently left out the data that shows soft-on-crime policies are a major contributing factor to the issue.
Chronicle reporter Susie Neilson claims that policies chase deaths are intentionally undercounted because the entire practice is supposedly a cloaked, intentional use of “deadly force” from police. @JakeTapper doesn’t push back on the crazy notion, he looks to promote crackdowns. pic.twitter.com/S17Oka3UCj
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 27, 2024
According to Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Justin Fox, the decline in police traffic stops is resulting in more deaths. Fox cited Centers for Disease Control data, which showed that over 46,000 people died in motor accidents in 2022, a slight decrease from the previous year but still 18 percent higher than in 2019.
Fox pointed out that the catalyst for this conflict was the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, which led to reduced traffic enforcement by the police. This, in turn, resulted in an increase in reckless driving. Even National Public Radio (NPR) admitted that the rise in traffic deaths could be attributed to changes in policing.
Tapper’s segment portrayed police chases as a form of excessive force, completely disregarding their role in law enforcement.
Tristan Justice, the western correspondent for The Federalist and author of Social Justice Redux, provides insightful analysis on culture, health, and wellness. His work has been featured in various publications, including The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. Tristan graduated from George Washington University with a major in political science and a minor in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected]. Sign up for Tristan’s email newsletter here.
Why is it concerning that Jake Tapper did not challenge Susie Neilson’s claim about intentional undercounting of chase deaths as “deadly force” by the police
In a recent segment, CNN’s Jake Tapper drew attention to the issue of increased traffic deaths and placed blame on the police, disregarding the lenient policies of blue cities when it comes to crime. Tapper highlighted a year-long investigation conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle, which revealed that the majority of those killed in police chase crashes were innocent bystanders rather than suspects.
Tapper sat down with Susie Neilson, a data reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle and co-author of the report, to discuss the findings. Neilson emphasized that while experts agree that police should be allowed to pursue individuals suspected of violent crimes, the reality is that the majority of these chases are initiated over minor infractions.
However, it is important to note that Tapper and Neilson conveniently left out the data that shows soft-on-crime policies as a major contributing factor to the issue. There is evidence to suggest that these policies play a significant role in the prevalence of police chases and the ensuing fatalities.
One Twitter user, Nicholas Fondacaro, pointed out that Chronicle reporter Susie Neilson claims that policies regarding chase deaths are intentionally undercounted because the entire practice is supposedly a cloaked, intentional use of “deadly force” from the police. It is concerning that Tapper did not push back on this outrageous notion and instead looked to promote crackdowns.
While it is important to address the issue of innocent bystanders being killed in police chase crashes, it is equally crucial to acknowledge the underlying factors that contribute to these incidents. Ignoring the lenient crime policies of blue cities and shifting the blame solely onto the police is a disservice to finding comprehensive solutions.
It is essential for media outlets like CNN, represented by journalists like Jake Tapper, to provide a balanced and unbiased perspective when reporting on complex issues such as traffic deaths and police chases. By failing to include all relevant data and analysis, the audience is deprived of a complete understanding of the problem at hand.
As consumers of news, it is our responsibility to demand accurate and comprehensive reporting. It is only through this commitment to truth and integrity that we can hope to find effective solutions to pressing societal issues.
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