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65 FBI L. Enforcement Bull. 16 (1996)
An Alternative to Police Pursuits

handle is hein.journals/fbileb65 and id is 227 raw text is: Police Practice An Alternative To Police Pursuits By Clyde Eisenberg, M.A. and Cynthia Fitzpatrck H ollywood has long glorified the high-speed chase in television and film accounts of police work. Yet, rarely do the action-packed vehicle pursuits portrayed on screen show the tragedy that often accompanies them in real life. Forty percent of all law enforcement pursuits end in a collision, and approxi- mately 290 pursuit-related deaths occur each year.' Within the last decade, vehicle pursuits have become a leading concern to law enforcement ad- ministrators throughout the country. Liability issues, coupled with negative media attention, have spurred this concern. In addition, organizations such as Solutions to Tragedies of Police Pursuits (STOPP) now lobby for federal laws to regulate law enforcement pursuits and urge law enforcement agencies to adopt rigid pursuit policies in the name of public safety.2 Even without such pressure, many agencies have adopted stringent policies, often only permitting officers to pursue individuals suspected of committing forcible felonies. But this leaves law enforcement administrators to face the dilemma of either allowing non-violent felons to escape or risking property damage, personal injury, or death from pursuits. Both options leave the department open to public criticism and potential lawsuits. Law enforcement agencies clearly need an alterna- tive to the traditional pursuit. Yet, no single method will avoid all pursuits. Some pursuits occur when the suspect flees the scene of a crime or an already- speeding subject refuses to stop for the authorities. Other pursuits, however, result when an officer identifies a wanted felon and attempts to make an apprehension. When the officer turns on the lights and sirens to indicate that the suspect should stop, the suspect flees and the officer gives chase. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) in Tampa, Florida, developed the Vehicle Intercept Program to replace the latter type of pursuit. What is a Vehicle Intercept? Vehicle interception rests on the premise that most suspects in vehicles will not flee as long as officers keep their lights and sirens off, thus giving deputies the opportunity to develop a plan of containment. A vehicle intercept uses law enforcement automobiles to block in a suspect's vehicle that is slowing, stopped, or just beginning to move at an intersection, driveway, or parking lot. Officers position their automobiles according to pre-set guidelines and procedures. A vehicle intercept is not a moving road block, and suspect cars traveling more than 10 miles per hour are not considered viable intercept candidates. Creation of the Vehicle Intercept Program In response to a proposal submitted by the au- thors, the sheriff convened a 10-member committee to examine the vehicle intercept concept and, if it was found plausible, to develop a training module for the department. Sworn personnel from the canine, avia- tion, training, detective, and patrol bureaus served on the committee. They met over a 1-week period and discussed procedures and guidelines for vehicle intercepts. The committee also conducted some practical experiments to determine the optimum vehicle posi- tioning for intercepts, taking into account concerns for officer safety; such as cross-fire and possible air bag deployment. The sherif tapproved the committee's recommendations, which became part of the HCSO's written standard operating procedure and training curriculum. 16 / FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin

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