Vehicle PursuitsVehicle Pursuits

Community Panel on Police PursuitsCommunity Panel on Police Pursuits

Dr. Stanley Stone—ChairpersonDr. Stanley Stone—Chairperson

Council WorkshopCouncil Workshop

February 9, 2004February 9, 2004

As Chairperson and on behalf of the City of Orlando, along with the Orlando Police Department, I would like to extend a special thanks to the panel members…

C.T. Hsu Ron Blocker Robin DrageWendy Pardew Roger Clark Paul RooneyMelissa Williams Gabriela Ortigoni Mary Beth ElkinsChester Glover Shawn Dunlap Kerrie TersianoJim Phillips Paul Curtis Fiolna BaxterBeverly Neal Ramon Ojeda Natasha Permaul

Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of OrlandoMayor Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando

Community Panel On Police PursuitsCommunity Panel On Police Pursuits

Michael J. McCoy, Chief of PoliceMichael J. McCoy, Chief of Police

Recommended Changes

to

OPD Policy

WHAT HAS THE COMMUNITY PURSUIT PANEL ACCOMPLISHED

TO DATE?

• Changed name — “Operational Use of Police Vehicles” to “Vehicle Pursuits.”

• Simplified Pursuit Definition.• Simplified the entire policy — more clear and

concise.• Included a definition for “Termination of a Pursuit.”

WHAT HAS THE COMMUNITY PURSUIT PANEL ACCOMPLISHED

TO DATE?

• Included a definition for “Reasonable Suspicion” – most important element in determining whether an officer can pursue.

• Changed “Infamous Crimes” to “Violent Forcible Felonies.”

• Deleted confusing language such as: “…any other felony which involves the use, or threatened us, of violence or deadly force against an individual.”

WHAT HAS THE COMMUNITY PURSUIT PANEL ACCOMPLISHED

TO DATE?

• Listed 10 Violent Forcible Felonies for which officers may pursue fleeing suspects.

• Included considering “Alternative Means of Apprehension” when deciding to pursue a fleeing suspect.

• Motorcycle units will no longer be allowed to pursue.

WHAT HAS THE COMMUNITY PURSUIT PANEL ACCOMPLISHED

TO DATE?

• Officers can no longer pursue a suspect vehicle the wrong way on a one-way street.

• Rolling roadblocks, boxing in, heading off and parallel approaches are no longer permitted.

• Officers cannot engage in pursuits initiated by other jurisdictions unless the pursuit meets OPD guidelines.

WHAT HAS THE COMMUNITY PURSUIT PANEL ACCOMPLISHED

TO DATE?

• Vehicle Pursuit Form is now routed, having more checks and balances for review (Approval/ Disapproval).

• Created Vehicle Apprehension Form to track how often suspects flee from officers for crimes/infractions which are not pursuable per policy.

A multistage process by which an officer attempts to initiate a traffic stop and the

driver resists the directive to stop and increases speed or takes evasive action

and refuses to stop the vehicle.

New Definition:What is a PURSUIT?

Officers MUST reasonably believe…

…that the suspect• refuses to stop

• is willfully fleeing

• attempting to avoid capture

By:

High speed driving

Driving off roadway

Making sudden/unexpected movements

Driving on the wrong side of the street/roadway

Running red lights/stop signs

Evasive maneuvers

or not not to pursue

The DecisionThe Decision

to pursue

Decision (to pursue or not) is based on many factors

• Public safety• Traffic congestion• Nature of the suspected

crime• Later identification• Time of day• Vehicle speeds• Weather• Road conditions• Officer loses sight of

suspect vehicle• Location (i.e., school zone)

• Type of suspect/police vehicle

• Circumstance that may cause officer to lose control of emergency vehicle

• Availability of airborne units

• Began in another jurisdiction

• Loss of radio contact• Suspect drives wrong way

on a limited access highway

The Panel recommended that officers pursue only for

Violent Forcible Felonies1. Murder2. Manslaughter 3. Armed Robbery4. Rape5. Armed Sexual Battery6. Arson to an occupied structure 7. Use of explosive devices to an occupied structure8. Kidnapping9. Armed Carjacking10. Burglary armed with a firearm

The Panel took into account how long an officer has to decide to pursue or not.

What the officer is doing while making this decision:

Fighting Running Talking on the radio All of the above

The Odds

• 2 out of 3 end in collision when initiated for “felony reasons.”

The Panel met with Dr. Geoff Alpertwho relayed the following:

• 1 out of 3 end in collision when initiated for infractions.

• 1 out of 100 ends in DEATH!

• 1 out of 8 end in injury.

WHO DIES IN PURSUITS ?

Suspects are killed most frequently

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2002

Third parties are second

Officers are lowest

Who’s affected?

Whose family is destroyed?

Who are the survivors?Parents, children, wife, brother, sister, peers?

Where might the guilt come from?

What’s Next?What’s Next?- Adoption of new OPD Vehicle Pursuit policyAdoption of new OPD Vehicle Pursuit policy

- Implementation Implementation

- Training Training Training Training Training!!Training!!

- Educate the citizens of OrlandoEducate the citizens of Orlando

- MonitorMonitor

- Training Training Training!!

The Panel believes that the recommended changes allow

officers, supervisors and commanders to closely monitor

the need for apprehensionvs.

the potential dangercreated by the pursuit.

The EndThe End