5/212.05 Foot Pursuits Flashcards
Foot Pursuits:
It is the policy of this department that officers may engage subjects in foot pursuit if certain factors are present that warrant the apprehension of a subject attempting to flee. Foot pursuits are inherently dangerous and require good judgment, sound tactics and heightened safety awareness. The purpose of foot pursuit is to apprehend a subject who refuses to voluntarily comply with an officer’s lawful order to stop fleeing.
True or False?
True
Decision to Pursue:
The safety of department personnel and the public shall be the primary consideration when determining whether a foot pursuit will be initiated or, subsequently, continued.
Officers, deciding whether or not to initiate a foot pursuit or implement containment procedures, will act _______ and must take into consideration the reason for the foot pursuit as well as the severity of the crime.
Reasonably
Decision to Pursue:
Officers may initiate foot pursuits of any individual(s) the officer reasonably believes is about to engage in, is engaging in, or has engaged in criminal activity.
Deciding to initiate a foot pursuit is a judgment an officer must make quickly and under unpredictable and dynamic circumstances. The decision to continue a foot pursuit must be constantly evaluated depending on the circumstances presented as the pursuit progresses.
True or False?
True.
Decision to Pursue:
When deciding whether or not to initiate or continue a foot pursuit, officers should consider other possible, reasonable alternatives such as pursue to apprehend vs. pursue to contain.
The decision should be based upon the circumstances existing at the time and the availability of other resources which would allow for:
- Containment of the area with available personnel;
- Canine search;
- Air Support.
Officer Safety Concerns:
The following officer safety issues should be considered:
- The potential for violence to officer(s) and/or citizens during and/or at the conclusion of any foot pursuit;
- The officer is acting alone;
- The subject is known or believed to be armed;
- The officer becomes unsure of his location and direction of travel;
- Radio contact is lost with Dispatch or backup officers;
- The officer loses possession of his firearm or radio;
- The subject enters a building, structure, confined space or otherwise isolated area and there are insufficient officers to provide backup and containment, the primary officer may consider transitioning from apprehension to containment, pending the arrival of sufficient officers;
- The officer becomes aware of unanticipated or unforeseen circumstances that unreasonably increase the risk to officers or the public (i.e., baiting to ambush, etc.);
- An officer pursuing multiple subjects does not reasonably believe he would be able to control the subjects should a confrontation occur;
- Two or more officers involved in the pursuit become separated, lose visual contact with one another, or obstacles separate them to the degree they cannot immediately assist each other should a confrontation take place. In such circumstances, pursuing officers should consider that a single officer keep the subject in sight from a safe distance and coordinate containment effort with the other officer(s);
- The need to secure department vehicles left unlocked or running as a result of the pursuit.
Transition form Apprehension to Containment:
When an officer involved in foot pursuit loses sight of the suspect, the officer should consider transitioning from “pursuit to apprehend” to “pursuit to contain.” In the transition to containment, the officer should consider the following:
- The availability of protective cover or a position of advantage near where the suspect was last seen;
- The ability to broadcast the suspect’s last direction of travel and description;
- The ability to ensure that a perimeter is being established;
- The time needed for the arrival of additional resources;
Transition form Apprehension to Containment:
By maintaining a position where the suspect was last physically seen, the officer effectively seals one avenue of escape and gives arriving K9 and Air Support a position from which to start their search.
While in containment, maintaining the _______ is a priority.
Perimeter
Responsibilities of the Officer Initiating the Pursuit:
Unless relieved by another officer or a supervisor, the initiating officer shall be responsible for coordinating the progress of the pursuit.
Early information and communication by the involved officer(s) is essential so adequate resources can be coordinated and deployed to bring a foot pursuit to a safe conclusion.
True or False?
True.
Responsibilities of the Officer Initiating the Pursuit:
Officers initiating foot pursuit should broadcast the following information as soon as it becomes practical and available:
- Unit identifier;
- Location and direction of travel;
- Reason for the foot pursuit;
- Number of subjects and description;
- Whether the subject is known or believed to be armed;
Responsibilities of the Officer Initiating the Pursuit:
Radio transmissions made while running may be difficult to understand and may need to be repeated.
Officers unable to promptly and effectively broadcast information should consider the decision to transition to containment and if not feasible, terminate the pursuit.
If the foot pursuit is discontinued, immediate containment efforts should be established and alternatives considered based upon the circumstances and available resources.
True or False?
True.
Responsibilities of the Officer Initiating the Pursuit:
When a foot pursuit terminates, the officer shall notify Dispatch of his location and the status of the pursuit termination (e.g., subject in custody, lost sight of subject), and will direct further actions as reasonably appear necessary.
True or False?
True.
Responsibilities of Assisting Officer:
When an officer broadcasts that he/she is engaged in a foot pursuit, all other officers should minimize nonessential radio traffic to permit the involved officer(s) maximum access to the radio frequency.
The first responding officer that is not actively engaged in the immediate apprehension of the subject(s) will establish a 360 degree ________.
Perimeter
Supervisor Responsibility:
Upon becoming aware of a foot pursuit, the supervisor shall make every reasonable effort to ascertain sufficient information to direct responding resources and take _______, _______, and _______ of the foot pursuit.
Command, control, and coordination
Supervisor Responsibility:
The supervisor’s _______ _______ is not required in order to exercise control over the foot pursuit and the supporting resources.
Physical presence
Supervisor Responsibility:
Recognizing that foot pursuits are very dynamic and dangerous for both the public and involved officers, supervisors will make every effort to respond to the location of the foot pursuit to monitor its progress and outcome.
True or False?
True.
