White Bear Lake Police Department

POST Mandated Policy #100-02

Vehicle Pursuits

PURPOSE

The purpose of this general order is to establish specific guidelines and responsibilities for
making decisions with regard to police vehicle pursuits.

I. POLICY

It is the policy of the White Bear Lake Police Department to protect lives while enforcing the
law. In addition, it is the responsibility of the White Bear Lake Police Department to guide its
officers in the safe and reasonable performance of their duties. To accomplish these goals,
the following policy is provided to control and regulate the manner in which emergency
vehicle operations are undertaken and performed. When engaged in emergency vehicle
operations in the performance of official duties, drivers of authorized emergency vehicles
are granted exemptions, by statute, from certain traffic laws. These exemptions are
provided to help protect lives, not to place them at undue risk.

II. DEFINITIONS

A. Pursuit: A multi-stage process by which a police officer initiates a vehicular stop and a
driver resists the signal or order to stop, increases speed, takes evasive action and/or
refuses to stop the vehicle. Once the driver refuses to obey the police officer’s signal or
order, this pursuit policy and procedure will determine the officer’s and agency’s actions.

B. Termination of a Pursuit: A pursuit shall terminate when the pursuing officer(s) turn off
the emergency equipment, resume routine vehicle operation, informs dispatch and turns
emergency vehicle off of the pursuit path or when the suspect vehicle stops.

C. Divided Highway: Any highway that is separated into two or more roadways by:

1. a physical barrier, or

2. a clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic.

III. PROCEDURE

A. Pursuit Elements;
1. Engaging in a Vehicular Pursuit is only justified when:

a) when the officer is authorized under 609.066 to use deadly force, and

b) a vehicle operator fails to stop after being given a visual or audible signal to stop
by a peace officer; and
 c) There is reasonable expectation of a successful apprehension of the suspect.

d) The driver does not stop when signaled to do so, but does not increase speed or
drive in excess of the speed limit and the totality of the circumstances would lead
a reasonable officer to believe the driver is experiencing a medical emergency or
is unaware of the officer’s presence. In that case, the officer is authorized to
continue to follow and attempt to stop the vehicle until which time the officer no
longer believes it is a medical condition and/or the driver acknowledges the
officers presence and engages in evasive driving to evade capture.

2. Other factors to be considered:

a) the initial decision to engage in a pursuit shall rest primarily with the officer who
has initiated the vehicular stop, after considering the elements of this policy;

b) these elements shall include, but are not limited to: the crime for which the
suspect is wanted (the need to apprehend immediately), and the risk to the
community created by the pursuit (traffic, area of pursuit, environmental factors,
and weather conditions);

c) the officer must continually consider the risks created by the pursuit, as those
risks may change during a pursuit;

d) terminating a pursuit shall be considered a decision made in the interest of public

safety and officer safety;

e) A supervisor may order the discontinuation of a pursuit at any time.

3. Standards applied to the evaluation of a pursuit, as well as the decision to continue a

pursuit shall include the following:

a) Is the need to immediately apprehend the suspect more important than the risk
created by the pursuit?

b) Do the dangers created by the pursuit exceed the danger posed by allowing the
perpetrator to escape?

c) Is the identity of the fleeing driver known, making a later apprehension possible?

B. Procedures & Tactics for an Officer Engaging in a Pursuit

1. Emergency vehicles shall be driven in a safe manner and with due regard for public
safety.

2. Emergency vehicles operating in emergency mode (emergency lights and siren

activated) are permitted to violate certain traffic regulations when necessary, as long
as the operator continues to exercise due care in vehicle operation.

3. The pursuing police vehicle shall be known as the primary unit, which will be the unit
closest to the fleeing vehicle. The secondary unit, or backup unit, shall remain at a
safe distance behind the primary unit but close enough to provide support and
communicate with dispatch. Other Backup units may provide support as requested
by the primary unit or supervisor only. Officers are not permitted to parallel, or set up
roadblocks, or any other maneuver to suddenly block the path of the fleeing vehicle.

4. No more than two (2) White Bear Lake Police Department emergency vehicles shall
be involved in vehicle pursuit; unless otherwise authorized by the Supervisor.
 5. Officers engaged in a pursuit should ensure the squad’s digital video recorder (DVR)
is on and operational.

C. Responsibilities of the Primary Unit

1. The driver of the primary unit shall notify dispatch of the pursuit and shall provide at
least the following critical information to dispatch:

a) unit identification

b) offense for which the suspect is being pursued

c) involvement of weapons

d) suspect vehicle description, including license number if reasonably possible

e) location, direction, and speed of both vehicles

f) description of occupant(s) and if suspect is known to officer

g) any other important information about the suspect vehicle or environment (for
example: suspect is traveling without lights, officer loses sight of vehicle, etc)

2. Only fully marked and pursuit rated White Bear Lake Police department emergency
vehicles with emergency lights and siren will be involved in a vehicle pursuit.
Unmarked patrol vehicles equipped with emergency lighting and siren may initiate a
pursuit; when a fully marked police vehicle is able to provide primary pursuit
coverage the unmarked patrol vehicle shall assume the secondary or backup role in
the vehicle pursuit.

D. Tire Deflation Device

Officers not actively involved in the pursuit shall evaluate the appropriateness of safe
deployment of tire deflation system. If a tire deflation system will be used the
deploying officer will announce over the police radio the location of the impending
deployment. Officers shall take all appropriate safety precautions when deploying
tire deflation system.

E. Supervision of Pursuit Activities

1. Based on the known information, the supervisor shall make the decision to either
take further appropriate action or terminate the pursuit. Termination of any pursuit is in
the interest of public safety.

2. Supervisors will immediately acknowledge the vehicle pursuit via a radio transmission
to dispatch. If a supervisor does not immediately acknowledge the pursuit via the police
radio, the dispatch will call the Supervisor.

3. The Supervisor should refrain from becoming directly involved in vehicle pursuits
when possible, but shall respond in the direction of the pursuit to monitor it, and respond
to the end of the pursuit.

4. The Supervisor shall request the assistance of other agencies as appropriate, Sheriff,
Minnesota State Patrol, aircraft, canine, etc.
 5. The Supervisor shall constantly monitor the vehicle pursuit for compliance with all
department policies and shall immediately terminate any vehicle pursuit that does not
conform to the department policies.

6. Upon completion of a vehicle pursuit, and within 24 hours, the Supervisor shall:

a) ensure that all video/audio evidence is saved in the proper manner, and

b) compose a detailed memo of the pursuit actions taken, to the Chief of

Police, Patrol Captain and Administration/Investigation Captain prior to
the end of Supervisor’s shift. The Pursuit Summary Report shall contain
direction, distance, time, injuries, damage to property of the City or
another, a map, and any other information the supervisor deems
necessary to inform Administration of the incident, and

c) complete and forward to the Patrol Captain the Minnesota Pursuit

Report Form.

F. Dispatch Responsibilities

Dispatch shall coordinate and disseminate critical information, as timely and accurately
as possible.

G. Factors Influencing the Termination of a Pursuit:

The driver of the primary unit and the supervisor shall continually evaluate the risks and
likelihood of a successful apprehension of the suspect, and shall consider terminating
the pursuit when:

1. The conditions of the pursuit become too risky for the safe continuation of the
pursuit.

2. A Supervisor orders it terminated.

3. Information is communicated that indicates the pursuit is out of compliance with

policy.

4. Communication is broken.

5. Visual contact is lost for a reasonable period of time or the direction of travel cannot
be determined.

6. The suspect is known and could be apprehended later, and to delay apprehension
does not create a substantial known risk of injury or death to another.

H. Inter-jurisdictional Pursuit

1. The primary unit, before leaving its jurisdiction, shall update critical information to the
dispatcher.

2. The primary police vehicle shall remain the primary vehicle in other jurisdictions
unless the controlling pursuit authority transfers their authority to another jurisdiction.
 3. Upon receiving notification that the pursuit is entering another agency’s jurisdiction,
the dispatcher shall forward all critical information possessed by the dispatcher to
that agency.

4. When another jurisdiction’s pursuit enters this department’s jurisdiction:

a. The dispatcher shall update the critical information to the shift supervisor or other
authorized individual identified by the department;

b. White Bear Lake officers will be required to abide by the White Bear Lake policy
on pursuit operations in and out of our jurisdiction.

c. White Bear Lake officers will only engage in another agency’s pursuit after the
pursuing agency specifically radios that assistance is requested or if approved by
a supervisor.

d. White Bear Lake officers will discontinue their assistance when other agencies
arrive and engage in the pursuit.

e. White Bear Lake officers shall not become the primary unit in another
jurisdiction’s pursuit unless the officer of the other jurisdiction is in an accident or
is otherwise incapacitated.

f. If a pursuit enters our jurisdiction and involves a lone pursuing unit from another
agency and the pursuit leaves this jurisdiction, the officer is authorized to assist
the lone primary pursuing officer until assistance from other agencies arrives.

 The assisting White Bear Lake officer shall announce on the police radio
that he/she is assisting as a back-up unit and the reason for the pursuit
(if known).

 No more than one White Bear Lake officer shall assist, unless
authorized by a supervisor.

 A supervisor may cancel the assistance of White Bear Lake officers at

anytime.

 The assisting White Bear Lake officer shall announce on the police
radio when he/she is no longer involved in the pursuit.

I. Air Support

Once contact is made with air support and air support has suspect vehicle in sight, the
primary pursuit unit shall reduce the level of pursuit to that of support or other backup
unit.

J. Care and Consideration of Victims

1. If during a pursuit an officer observes or is made aware of an injury to an individual,

the officer shall immediately notify the dispatcher to have the appropriate emergency
units respond.

2. The primary pursuit unit will be responsible for ensuring that assistance is provided
to people who may have been injured during the course of a pursuit. The primary
pursuit unit may delegate the responsibility to render the assistance to a specific
support or backup unit when they are immediately available to render assistance.
K. Pursuit Summary Report

1. The primary officer and the supervisor shall file a pursuit summary report.

2. To ensure compliance with Minn. Stat. 626.5532, the chief law enforcement officer
shall ensure the completion of the State pursuit report form and forward it to the
Commissioner of Public Safety within 30 days following the incident.
3. The report must contain the following elements:

a) the reason(s) for, and the circumstances surrounding the incident;

b) the alleged offense;

c) the length of the pursuit including time and distance;

d) the outcome of the pursuit;

e) any injuries or property damage resulting from the incident; and

f) any pending criminal charges against the driver

g) map indicating path of the pursuit

K. Evaluation and Critique

After each pursuit, the supervisor and department units involved with the pursuit will
evaluate the pursuit for compliance with department policies and make
recommendations to the chief law enforcement officer on ways to improve the
department's pursuit policy and tactics. This report shall be in written form and will be
forwarded through the chain of command to the Chief of Police prior to the end
supervisor’s or officer’s shift. If the officer(s) or the supervisor are unable to
immediately file a report due to incapacitation or injury, a report must be filed as soon as
practical.

Policy adapted from Pursuit Resolution approved by the International Association of

Chiefs of Police, Inc. (October 30, 1996), the Minnesota Chief’s of Police Association,
and Minnesota Statute 626.5532.

Julie Swanson
Julie Swanson
Chief of Police

Original Date: 3/23/2007

Revisions:
1/5/2014
5/18/2015