In chase, Bradenton Police Department was ‘a finely tuned machine’ | Letter to the editor

I work in downtown Bradenton (at the intersection of Sixth Avenue West and Ninth Streets West) and I and others in my office and surrounding offices were witnesses to the police activity here on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. involving the four minors who were being pursued as suspects in an earlier armed robbery and who decided to run from the police, creating a massive mess in downtown Bradenton.

What I saw was a police force working in perfect coordination and precision when the chase ended with the suspects’ truck becoming disabled. One of the suspects ran off on foot (and, because he was a suspect in an armed robbery, clearly the risk of him carrying a gun was a very real one) and several officers (men, women, and dogs) went after him, while the other three suspects remained in the truck and were taken and handcuffed by other officers. It all went down in a matter of seconds, but everything I saw absolutely amazed me.

The Bradenton police (and other local police) were so impressive to see in action, like a finely tuned machine. We should all be proud of them! A highly volatile situation that could have ended a variety of ways was handled to perfection.

Thank you, Bradenton police, for a job well done.

Elizabeth Chandler

Bradenton