Source The Stamford Advocate, Conn.
STAMFORD, CT — Police say they are investigating a video that was posted on YouTube showing a speeding driver going the wrong way on downtown streets, including in front of an officer at their Bedford Street station.
The video, posted Sunday by YouTube account "Squeeze Benz," garnered more than 425,000 views as of Tuesday morning.
The more than five-minute video shows the white vehicle speeding down almost deserted Stamford roadways before dawn. At one point, the driver slowed down and stopped in front of the Stamford Police Department while going the wrong way on Bedford Street, the video shows. A police cruiser can be seen with its headlights on in the station's parking lot and pull up toward the road. The video shows the driver of the white vehicle speed away as the police cruiser remains idle at the entrance to the parking lot.
Later in the video, a police cruiser can again be seen at the headquarters entrance. The white vehicle again slowed down in front of the statiom, where the driver shouted to the police and revved the engine before driving off, the video shows.
The officer did not pursue the vehicle due to the statewide police pursuit policy, according to Stamford Police Capt. Chris Baker.
The policy, which was revised in November 2021, states officers may only engage in a pursuit "if the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the driver or occupant has committed or is attempting to commit a crime of violence, or there are exigent circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential for harm to the public if the apprehension does not occur."
State law requires the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in conjunction with the chief state's attorney, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and the Connecticut Coalition of Police and Correctional Officers to adopt a uniform, statewide policy for officers handling pursuits. State law requires these entities to update the policy every five years.
But police are not ignoring the incident, Baker said Tuesday. Stamford police are working with other law enforcement agencies in Connecticut and beyond to identify the driver and others like him.
Baker called this "swimming," where drivers go to different cities and operate vehicles in a reckless and unsafe manner.
The white vehicle appears to be going up to 70 mph at some points in the Stamford video, according to the speedometer shown in the footage.
"At some point, someone is going to be horrifically hurt," Baker said.
The video contains a disclaimer that states, "The stunts and tricks displayed in this video are performed by trained professionals, in controlled environments, keeping in mind all the required safety measures."
Baker declined to provide specific information about this particular incident, citing the ongoing investigation, but said the video wasn't filmed last weekend and took place in the early-morning hours.
Baker said this behavior doesn't happen often in Stamford, but it's not something police take lightly.
Baker asked anyone considering copying this behavior to consider their own family in the event they lose control of a car going that fast.
"Tragic results will follow," he said.
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