Police moped pursuit in Tuusula prompts two investigations

Yle has compiled what is currently known about a pursuit at a moped meet in Tuusula on Saturday, in which a young moped rider was injured.

Video recorded by the rider’s helmet camera shows an unmarked police car accelerating alongside the moped as its siren sounds. Both vehicles appear to be travelling at high speed. The side of the police car hits the moped, which veers into a ditch.

According to Yle’s information, the young rider was injured. Police said the injuries were not life-threatening.

Police had not been called to the event

Police did not have an emergency assignment at the moped meet. This means they had not been called to the event, for example because of a suspected offence.

Police said three or four patrols were monitoring traffic in the area on Saturday, but it is not known how many of them were at the moped meet.

The stop is under scrutiny

Videos do not show the police using a red light when attempting to stop the moped. A red light is used as a traffic signal indicating that a vehicle must stop.

A prosecutor said the stop would be examined as part of a pretrial investigation. It is not yet known what happened before the part of the incident shown in the videos.

Henri Rikander, a doctor of law, has questioned the police use of force in the situation.

Two pretrial investigations opened

Police said the moped rider is provisionally suspected of aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and driving a vehicle without the right to do so.

The second investigation concerns the actions of the police and is being conducted by a regional prosecutor.

Limited official comment

Little official information was available on Sunday. Police have provided few comments about the incident, while the regional prosecutor has not yet commented on the police actions because the pretrial investigation is still at an early stage.

Yle also sought a comment from Interior Minister Mari Rantanen on Sunday but was unable to reach her.

The incident has received extensive attention in the media and on social media. The Eastern Uusimaa Police Department said members of the public had also sent emails about the case. Public figures have commented on the incident on their social media accounts.

The police pursuit has shocked young people in Tuusula.