Police Pursuit Policy

Police Pursuit Policy

Vehicular pursuit of a fleeing suspect presents a danger to the lives of the public, the officers involved and additionally the suspects. It is the policy of this police department to protect all people’s lives to the fullest extent of the law. It is the responsibility of the police department to assist officers in the performance of their duties. To affect these duties, it will be the policy of the police department to narrowly regulate the manner in which vehicular pursuit is started and carried out. Encarta Dictionary defines vehicular pursuit as the act of chasing a motor vehicle. The pursuing officer will consider the following factors in determining whether to initiate pursuit: the performance means of the pursuit vehicle, the condition of the surface of the road where the pursuit is taking place and the amount of vehicles and pedestrians in the area along with weather conditions. The pursuing officer should contact communications center employees at the onset of the pursuit. The officer will provide the following information: unit identification, location, speed and direction of travel of the fleeing vehicle, the license tag number, make and model of the vehicle, number of occupants and any identifying information; if available, and reasons supporting the decision to pursuit. Failure to provide this information to communications center may result in an immediate decision by a field supervisor assigned to monitor the pursuit to order its termination. The primary pursuit unit shall reduce the level of pursuit to that of support or backup unit where: the fleeing vehicle comes under the surveillance of an air unit, or another vehicle has been assigned to primary pursuit responsibility. Any primary or backup unit sustaining damage to or failure of any essential vehicular equipment during pursuit will not be permitted to continue pursuit. The unit will notify communications so that another unit may be assigned to the pursuit. Upon notification that a pursuit...

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