BROOKLYN – A Brooklyn, Illinois, police officer was injured recently while trying to deploy spike strips during a vehicle pursuit, prompting charges against a man involved in the incident. The officer is expected to recover from his injuries.
This incident brought back terrible memories for Tammy Pierce, mother of Byron Pierce Jr., who was killed in the line of duty on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, by a fleeing vehicle while attempting to deploy spike strips on the McKinley Bridge during a vehicle pursuit. The chase began following an incident at a nightclub in Brooklyn.
Tammy Pierce said the emotional trauma for her family of her son’s death was more than she could ever describe. She said her son was such a good person and had several jobs and was trying to set up a bright future for himself. In a quick moment, his life ended tragically, she said.
Tammy is under the contention that spike strips should not be allowed in the state.
She had this comment on the recent incident involving the Brooklyn officer: “It should not have happened,” she said. “This is something preventable. We refer to spike strips as death sticks.”
Byron Pierce Jr. was killed while attempting to deploy spike strips, and his mother noted the tragic similarities between the two situations.
“I woke up to hear this happened all over again,” she said after she read about the recent spike strips incident involving an officer. “It’s the same scenario, same spike strips, same place.”
Tammy Pierce said three weeks ago there was a spike strip use ban put into place for safety by a former Brooklyn Police chief, and she said it should be followed.
Concerns about the effectiveness and safety of spike strips have been raised by both Pierce and other community members. Tammy Pierce argues that spike strips are outdated and pose risks to officers and civilians alike.
“Times have changed; we are no longer living in the 80s,” Pierce said. “There are safer alternatives, like the pit maneuver, that could prevent these situations.”
Tammy said she has an upcoming meeting with Swansea Sen. Chris Belt about something being enacted on a state level and says, “I plan to take this to the highest level.”
