CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) - Recent police chases in southeast Missouri have spurred renewed debate about whether officers should pursue fleeing suspects.

The Southeast Missourian reports that two recent traffic stops one in Cape Girardeau and one near Perryville turned into dangerous chases.

Police in the region agree that chases are often a necessary evil. But some residents say the risk is simply too great.

Jackson resident John Pfefferkorn largely opposes chases. He had a relative killed in a chase decades ago, when the relative was a teenager. Pfefferkorn says it was a young man who was not a criminal, but a recent driver’s license recipient who was afraid of getting a ticket.

The FBI says one person dies every day as a result of police pursuits.

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