Fleeing driver Policy Flashcards
What is a fleeing driver?
A driver who has been signalled to stop by a con stable but fails to stop or remain stopped, or a driver who flees as a result of police presence - whether signalled to stop or not.
When deciding to signal a driver to stop, to commence, continue or abandon a pursuit what assessment do you use to justify those decisions?
TENR
Threat
Exposure
Necessity
Response
What is the overriding principle when applying TENR to a fleeing driver incident?
Safety is success.
In relation to a fleeing driver incident the TENR risk assessment must balance what 3 things?
- Initial threat posed by vehicle
- necessity to immediately apprehend the driver/ passenger
- risk of harm to any person if driver fails to stop or remain stopped.
After each fleeing driver event is reviewed what is considered regarding the decisions that were made?
Whether the decisions were:
-appropriate
-lawful
- justified (considering all circumstances
- compliant with police instructions
Whether there are lessons to be learnt and applied
What takes precedence over the immediate apprehension of a fleeing driver?
Safety of public, vehicle occupants and police staff.
Is a driver failing to stop or remain stopped in itself sufficient reason to commence a pursuit?
No
What is preferred over the commencement or continuation of a pursuit?
An investigation.
What’s the only explanation for when a pursuit is justified?
When the threat posed by the vehicle occupants prior to signalling the driver to stop, and the necessity to immediately apprehend the driver and/or passengers outweighs the risk of harm created by the pursuit.
When will police particularly consider the likely impact of any pursuit response on the risk of harm that it could cause?
When children or young people are involved.
All staff share what… to achieve the common purpose of ensuring the fleeing driver event is managed as safely as possible.
A Collective responsibility
Will a decision not to pursue or to abandon a pursuit be supported?
Yes
All Fleeing driver events will be investigated in order to what?
Identify the offenders and hold them to account.
Fleeing driver events will be reviewed in a timely manner to what?
Identify and effectively manage or escalate any health and safety risks, training issues, systemic issues or lessons learnt.
If their manner of driving contravenes legislation staff will be what?
Criminally liable
When deciding whether to stop a vehicle, as part of your TENR assessment what must you consider?
- the initial threat posed by the vehicle occupants
- the necessity to immediately apprehend the driver and/or passengers
And - the risk of harm to anyone created by commencing a pursuit.
Consideration should always be made to delay the signal to stop while co-ordinating tactical options and/or waiting for the environment to become safer and risk reduced.
If the information available indicates the driver is likely to flee what should Comms be advised of?
- Reason for wanting to stop the driver
- the intention to signal the driver to stop
And - whether a pursuit is going to be initiated if the driver fails to stop
What is the purpose of alerting Comms that you intend to stop a driver that is likely to flee?
Pre alert Comms enabling them to assist in the planning of the response.
What are 7 considerations when doing a TENR assessment - prior to stopping a vehicle?
-reason for stopping
- Likelihood of driver failing to stop when signalled
- safety of everyone (Other road users, occupants of vehicle, police)
- ID of driver and passengers
- likely age of driver, age impact on decision making, and driving experience
- number and likely age of passengers and impact on driver
- environmental circumstances (road conditions, traffic density, foot traffic, school hours, weather, condition of vehicle.
When initiating a pursuit what must the initiating unit advise Comms?
- in pursuit
- reason for pursuit/ signalling driver to stop
- direction
- road
- vehicle description
What are the responsibilities of the initiating unit driver/passenger during a pursuit?
- Advise Comms in pursuit, reason for pursuit, location, direction, and vehicle description
- lights and siren activated
- acknowledge and comply with Comms directions
- continually apply TENR to ensure pursuit is justified
- ensure all relevant risk info is provided to Comms
- abandon pursuit if TENR identifies the risk outweighs the threat posed by the occupants and the need to immediately apprehend .
- advise Comms of abandonment
What are the responsibilities for the role of secondary vehicle drivers and/or constabulary passengers during a pursuit?
- Continually perform TENR to assess if risk still justified
- ensure lights and sirens activated
- follow lead vehicle from safe distance to provide support and tactical options
- notify Comms you are involved as soon as possible
- acknowledge and comply with Comms directions
- take over pursuit commentary if lead vehicle Single crewed.
- ensure all risk information is provided to Comms
- direct abandonment if TENR risk outweighs the need to immediately apprehend occupants of vehicle.
What are the responsibilities of the ‘Pursuit controller’ during a pursuit?
- control and command of pursuit
- confirm initial reason for signal to stop
- direct abandonment if reason for signal to stop is insufficient to justify pursuit or is not provided
- ensure the pursuit acknowledgement has been given and acknowledged by the initiating unit.
- continuously perform TENR to assess if the risk is justified
- plans to resolve the pursuit as safely as possible, communicate the plan and any changes
- if resources allow ;
ensure secondary unit takes over commentary if lead unit is single crewed.
Replace class B with A vehicles at earliest opportunity.
Replace single crew with double as soon as practical. - limit pursuing vehicles to 2 unless tactically appropriate
- co-ordinates other tactical units and options to resolve event safely ie air support, dogs
- monitors situation reports to ensure sufficient risk information is being provided to enable informed decision making.
- directs the abandonment when
TENR assessment identifies the risk occupants pose outweighs the need to immediately apprehend
Identity of driver is known or does not pose an immediate threat and can be safely apprehended later
Pursuing units have lost contact with fleeing driver
Sustained loss of communication with pursuing unit.
What are the responsibilities of a ‘field supervisor’ during a pursuit?
- Maintain supervisory oversight
- Provide support to staff, pursuit controller, and avoid direct involvement in pursuit where possible.
- continuously perform own TENR risk assessment to determine whether risks continue to be justified.
- direct abandonment if TENR assessment identifies that the risk of harm outweighs the initial threat posed by the occupants and the need to immediately apprehend.
