Why didn't Phoenix Police officers move in on police chase suspect sooner?

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - The question on some people's mind Tuesday, after a wild police chase that took the suspects to the West Valley and back, is why didn't officers move in sooner?

For most of the two hour chase, police officers were not actively pursuing the suspect on the ground, relying on surveillance from their Phoenix firebird helicopter in the sky instead.

Phoenix Police commander Tom Van Dorn responded to the question Tuesday afternoon on why their ground units chose to back off, as the suspect sped through the valley.

"When you see it on a nationwide level, vehicle pursuits by law enforcement are dangerous for the officers and the community, so we just take a back approach, for lack of a better term, for the safety of everyone involved," said Cmdr. Van Dorn. "Time is going to be on our side, and we have the equipment and the personnel to be safe for everyone."

Officers made several attempts to deploy stop sticks on the ground, in hopes of deflating the suspect's tires. The tactic actually worked on the stolen Audi, but the suspect was later seen, on camera, carjacking a woman and stole her truck before taking off.