Police Pursuits

After observing a traffic violation or being alerted to a person or vehicle, a police officer can signal a driver to stop. In a vast majority of the cases, the driver will pull over and the situation will end without further concern. However, on rare occasions, the driver will refuse to stop or will take evasive action and flee. In these situations, a routine traffic stop turns into a dangerous pursuit. When that occurs, the police officer must decide whether or not to continue a chase, recognizing that if a person refuses to stop, the agency's pursuit policy attaches, and the officer must therefore take into account both policy and training before reaching a decision. Accordingly, the officer must balance both the risks and the potential benefits when deciding whether or not a pursuit is necessary.

A pursuit is initiated when a suspect refuses to obey an officer's order to stop. The fleeing suspect is likely to become erratic and a danger to anyone in the area. Unfortunately, the risks of a chase not only include the police officer and the suspect, but also the public in an interactive triangle.

This interactive triangle is made up of (a) the officer, who is trying to apprehend a suspect; (b) the police vehicle; and (c) the environment, which includes the fleeing suspect, traffic, and pedestrians, all of which are forces brought into play in this interaction. The suspect's goal is to remain free and avoid arrest, and unless he or she has a death wish, the suspect will often run until he or she feels safe or crashes. The suspect, who has refused to heed the commands of the officer, has the primary responsibility to stop the chase by pulling over. The suspect is also directing the pursuit by selecting the course, speed, and recklessness of the driving. However, any increased recklessness on the part of the suspect may be affected by the officer's attempt to apprehend him. The officer's natural desire to apprehend the suspect must be tempered by concerns for public safety. Because of the nature of pursuits, the suspect is necessarily influenced psychologically by the officer's actions.

The goal of the officer is to apprehend the suspect and make the arrest. Accordingly, it is the officer who must become aware of personal capabilities and take into account environmental conditions that may affect his or her ability to accomplish the mission of police, which is to protect lives. The police officer must factor into the decision-making process the risk created by the suspect's driving; the potential actions of innocent bystanders, passengers, and others who may become involved; and the influence of his or her actions on the suspect's driving. In addition, the likelihood of apprehension must be factored into the decision to continue or not continue a chase.

A pursuit is an exciting event and involves one person running to escape and another chasing to catch. If it continues, it resembles a drag race until one party terminates it or there is a crash. The problems include the inability to force a fleeing suspect to stop without applying deadly force. In addition, it is necessary for officers to place a priority on the coexisting and meritorious goals of law enforcement and public safety.

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