According to the president of the New York State Police Benevolent Association, it takes the loss of a trooper to gain safety for their members. Our Joleene Des Rosiers continues her in depth look at the Chevy Tahoe, the SUV driven by many troopers. Is it a vehicle that should be involved in high speed pursuits?

On a late April afternoon in 2006, Trooper Craig Todeschini was in pursuit of a speeding motorcycle in the small hamlet of Pompey Hill in Onondaga County. He was driving a 2005 Chevy Tahoe, modified for law enforcement, trying to keep up with the speeding motorcyclist. The cycle took a sharp turn and sped away. However, the Chevy Tahoe didn't handle the turn and the vehicle skidded into a tree. Todeschini died almost instantly.

For New York State Police Benevolent Association President Daniel De Federicis, it wasn't the first incident involving an out of control Tahoe.

"There were one or two non-fatal incidents before that and there were some concerns about such a big, bulky vehicle used as a police vehicle. But it was certainly the tragic death of Craig Todeschini that pushed the issue even more," said De Federicis.

De Federicis began writing letters to then-Governor Eliot Spitzer, citing the Todeschini case as evidence that the vehicle wasn't suited for high-speed pursuits.

It's a thought another man shares. Salvatore Piemonte represents James Joshua Carncross, the young man said to have been the speeding motorcyclist and convicted of causing the death of Trooper Craig Todeschini.

"The vehicle is just not designed, equipped, manufactured to do the type of procedure that they attempted to do,” said Piemonte.

At the same time Carncross sat behind bars, awaiting his trial, De Federicis continued his quest for change. He wanted training for the troopers that got behind the wheel of a Tahoe. In addition, he wanted to see this vehicle redesigned so change was made.

"The design itself has changed dramatically. For us, the 2006-2007, the center of gravity has changed. There is now a skid package in the front. You'll notice that the front end is about three inches wider in length and in height," said State Police spokesman Trooper Jack Keller.

As for Tahoe training, it takes place in one day.

"Ever since, for the last year now, back in 2007, the State Police as part of our training every year, we’ll get what we call Tahoe Training, which is part of the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course. Which is more of an up-to-date training. What we'll do is, we'll pick a location out and every trooper who drives a patrol vehicle will go through a full day course of familiarity of the Tahoe. But also through a little course just to get an idea in handling between the Crown Victoria and the Tahoe," said Keller.

However, De Federicis said the training just isn't enough.

"We just can't keep throwing them training and assume that will solve the problem. We have to find out what the issue is and that is where we're at," he said.

De Federicis said he's still in contact with the governor's office pushing evermore to keep New York State Troopers safe.

In part 3 of 'The Truth about the Tahoe', we'll tell you what the governor is saying. We'll also introduce you to a national driving instructor that said it's not about the vehicle you drive but how you drive it.