WATCH: West Midlands Police reveals its top 10 pursuits

Traffic cops at West Midlands Police are highly trained in the art of pursuit and every day they work hard to safely remove criminals from the roads and have to make snap-decisions as to whether a high-speed pursuit is justified and proportionate.

1. Drugs hurled from car during high-speed motorway pursuit

This motorway footage shows officers pursuing two Birmingham men at speeds of more than 100mph. During the pursuit, the passenger was seen to fling more than £200,000 worth of heroin from the car.

Despite trying to stop the car numerous times, the driver did his best to evade officers while dodging traffic.

The driver was arrested and later sentenced to 15-months behind bars for heroin possession, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

The passenger received a five-year sentence for possession with intent to supply heroin.

2. Thermal imaging assists in 144mph pursuit

This pursuit reached speeds of 144mph and features footage shot by both the police helicopter and pursuing vehicles.

Thermal imaging from the hi-tech helicopter cameras show just how hot the speeding vehicle became during the pursuit, with officers eventually arrested four men after they starburst from the vehicle in a residential area.

All four were jailed following their getaway attempt after being linked to a botched angle grinder attack on a cash machine.

3. Brave officers instigate collision with wrong-way motorway driver

This incredible on-board footage shows the lengths that our officers will go to, to protect the public from harm.

Watch as they bravely prevent a serious collision on the M6 toll by risking a head-on collision with a car that was travelling the wrong way along the motoway.

The two force traffic officers deliberately positioned their police vehicle to block the path of the Honda Jazz as it ominously approached three lanes of oncoming traffic brought to a standstill by police just moments earlier.

The 77-year-old driver, who has dementia, was not injured during the ordeal and after being checked over by paramedics, was taken home to his family.

4. High-speed pursuit through streets of south Birmingham

This incredible footage shows a police pursuit in Birmingham that reached speeds of 80mph earlier this year.

Traffic officers attempted to stop a silver BMW 1 Series that was believed to have been stolen on Weoley Castle Road.

The car pulled over and a passenger got out who attempted to obstruct the police car as the BMW drove off at high speed.

Officers pursued the car as the 29-year-old driver sped through red lights and drove on the wrong side of the road - narrowly missing oncoming traffic.

The BMW eventually came to a stop on Bristol Road as the driver drove onto the pavement and got the car wedged between a bollard and the front of a shop.

The end result? A 14-month jail sentence for the driver.

5. Motorway pursuit reaches 140mph

This pursuit reached speeds in excess of 140mph before the driver was eventually arrested following a successful stinger deployment.

The Wolverhamption gang member was targeted by officers after carrying out a series out smash and grab robberies on shops across the country.

Although the footage doesn't show the conclusion of the pursuit, the offender's vehicle was safely brought to a stop with a stinger device. The driver attempted to evade arrest but was quickly cuffed by officers in a nearby garden. He was jailed for 22 months.

6. Truck driver deliberately rams police car in reverse

This shocking video shows the moment that a truck driver deliberately reversed his vehicle into a pursuing police car.

Thankfully, the officers weren't harmed by this incredibly dangerous act, and the already banned driver received a 19 month jail sentence.

7. Stinger device ends 80mph pursuit through Birmingham

This dramatic pursuit reached speeds of 80mph as a number of police cars tracked a prolific car thief through Birmingham city centre.

The pursuit lasted almost 10 minutes and was finally brought to an end when officers used a stinger device to slow the stolen silver Vauxhall Vectra as it travelled along Curzon Circus.

Watch as an officer skilfully slings the stinger into the road – before removing it a split-second later to avoid piercing the wheels of the pursuing police cars.

The driver of the stolen vehicle was later sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.

8. Teen biker caught speeding along public footpaths

This footage was captured by the police helicopter in 2014 and shows a motorcyclist speeding along the footpaths of a south Birmingham estate.

The bike was tracked from above, enabling officers on the ground to catch up with the teen driver. He was arrested and handed a police caution.

9. Two failed escape attempts through the streets of Birmingham

This dash-cam footage shows a police pursuit through the streets of east Birmingham that reached speeds of 50mph.

After safely bringing the driver of the stolen vehicle to a stop, officers had to start again when the offender tried a second escape.

Pursuing officers were constantly assessing the risk posed to other road users during this pursuit and it wasn't long before the fleeing suspect was caught and arrested. He received a 7-month prison sentence for his efforts.

10. Scooter spill leads to swift arrest

Our first pursuit sees a man wanted on suspicion of robbery attempting a quick getaway using a motorised scooter.

The offender clearly thought he could outrun our 'Eye in the Sky'... until he miscalculated his speed and flew over the handlebars of his vehicle.

What followed was a brief but intense footchase along the street, before the offender again falls over and awaits his imminent arrest.