The Law: Think Slow

His car's siren screaming, a grim-faced detective whizzes around a corner and tears through a fruit stand, sending cantaloupes flying. A dozen red lights and near-collisions later, he finally forces the villain into an alley and arrests him.

Such chases look fine in Hollywood thrillers, but in real life they often end tragically. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that of 250,000 high-speed police pursuits every year, nearly 8,000 end in crashes, with some 400 people killed and 5,000 injured.

One cop who believes this mayhem is unnecessary is Richard Turner, a former stock...