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** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
A Greenfield police officer took drastic action earlier this month to stop thieves in a stolen car. The officer performed what's called a PIT maneuver, ramming the car to stop it. Some are questioning the officers' actions, hitting the car at speeds of nearly 97 mph. The stolen car was heavily damaged when it hit a concrete pole at 27th Street and Lincoln Avenue. The pole was toppled by the force. The four teens in the car ran away.  Greenfield's police chief said his officer made a judgment call to save lives, forcing the stolen car to spin out at about 97 mph. "It's very apparent in the community. We've heard loud and clear they want us to do something," Police Chief Brad Wentlandt said.

Wentlandt explained an officer tried to pull over the stolen car at 3 a.m. May 6. The driver took off hitting 100 mph, at times swerving around cars and running red lights as they headed into Milwaukee. "These aren't suspects out joyriding. These are people that are committing violent, dangerous felonies," Wentlandt said. "And when they're in these vehicles, they're wielding a 3,000-pound weapon. They're out there driving at high speed with limited driving skill, with no regard for human life." Just past Lincoln Avenue, the officer sped up and did a so-called PIT maneuver to spin out the car. "The PIT itself was essentially very skillfully applied. It was probably a speed that we would discourage, given the circumstances that were present, but that's part of the learning process," Wentlandt said.

The dashcam video showed to Brian Dorow, the dean of criminal justice at WCTC, said PIT maneuvers are a permitted use of force by the state of Wisconsin. "It's really, the officer is in control of the squad car. That's ultimately what it comes down to," Dorow said. PIT maneuver policies vary by department. Some don't allow them. Wentlandt said the officer never violated the department's pursuit procedures. None of the boys in the car were hurt. They've all been referred on juvenile charges.

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