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A Kansas City, Kansas, police officer was killed Tuesday morning while deploying stop sticks during a pursuit, highlighting the dangerous nature of this law enforcement tactic.
Officer Hunter Simoncic died Tuesday while attempting to stop a fleeing suspect using the tire-deflation devices from a median, Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Chief Karl Oakman announced.
"Officer Simoncic followed the policy," Chief Oakman said. "There's very few precautions you can take when someone is deliberately trying to run you over."
Law enforcement expert and California Deputy Sheriff Ed Obayashi said deploying stop sticks is inherently dangerous work.
"By definition, by its very nature, a very risky maneuver on the part of the officer," Obayashi said.
Obayashi noted suspects have become more aware of police tactics over time.
"The element of surprise is not as obvious or prevalent as it used to be many, many, many years ago when stop sticks, you know, were first coming into use," Obayashi said.
The expert explained that even when suspects try to avoid the devices, their actions put officers at risk.
"Performing a deliberate maneuver towards the officer, even if its primary purpose is to avoid the stop sticks," Obayashi said. "It's clearly a reckless knowing act that places any person in danger."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately two deaths per year are related to deploying stop sticks.
Despite the risks, Oakman emphasized that officers prioritize community safety above their own well-being.
"We don't think about the danger," he said. "In hindsight, you might look at it and say, ‘Oh, I was in the middle of this.’ If the same situation happened the next day, you are right there doing it," Oakman said.
KCKPD's stop stick policy permits officers to use the devices during felony pursuits and advises them to use their police vehicle or another immovable object as protection.
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