Police Pursuits and Emergency Vehicle Operation: Insight into Policy Questions and Development

Abstract

The issue of police officers pursuing suspected criminals in motor vehicles is quickly becoming the number one cause of civil litigation in the United States. This is due to the number of collisions involved in police pursuits. Thus it has left law enforcement agencies with several questions in the development of policy governing pursuits and emergency vehicle operations. The focus of research will be in the arena of police pursuit situations and emergency vehicle operation. <p>There are several relevant issues that need to be examined within the realm of police pursuits and emergency vehicle operation. The most important questions are: Is it possible for law enforcement administrators to greatly reduce or even eliminate the potential civil consequences and physical threats generated by offenders fleeing police officers with the development of sound policy? Secondly, can administrators develop a defensible policy to assist police officers in determining when to initiate and when to terminate a pursuit with the direction of previous court decisions to guide them in that policy development? Third, one may ask, what are the implications for society if constraints are placed on officers in the pursuit of offenders? <p>This study addresses each question through a broad range of exploratory case studies, historical data analysis, evaluating existing and developing laws, and examining policies and procedures at a national level. Conclusions will be based on an ultimate goal which is the elimination all of the physical and monetary risks that arise from police pursuits and the operation of emergency vehicles, while simultaneously providing police officers the ability to continue to pursue and apprehend criminal suspects.