Policy Text
Policy Delano Police Department
308 Delano PD Policy Manual
Vehicle Pursuits
308.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Vehicle pursuits expose innocent citizens, law enforcement officers and fleeing violators to the risk
of serious injury or death. The primary purpose of this policy is to provide officers with guidance
in balancing the safety of the public and themselves against law enforcement's duty to apprehend
violators of the law. Another purpose of this policy is to reduce the potential for pursuit-related
collisions. Vehicular pursuits require officers to exhibit a high degree of common sense and sound
judgment. Officers must not forget that the immediate apprehension of a suspect is generally not
more important than the safety of the public and pursuing officers.
Deciding whether to pursue a motor vehicle is a critical decision that must be made quickly and
under difficult and unpredictable circumstances. In recognizing the potential risk to public safety
created by vehicular pursuits, no officer or supervisor shall be criticized or disciplined for deciding
not to engage in a vehicular pursuit because of the risk involved. This includes circumstances
where department policy would permit the initiation or continuation of the pursuit. It is recognized
that vehicular pursuits are not always predictable and decisions made pursuant to this policy will
be evaluated according to the totality of the circumstances reasonably available at the time of
the pursuit.
Officers must remember that the most important factors to the successful conclusion of a pursuit
are proper self-discipline and sound professional judgment. Officer's conduct during the course
of a pursuit must be objectively reasonable; that is, what a reasonable officer would do under the
circumstances. An unreasonable individual’s desire to apprehend a fleeing suspect at all costs
has no place in professional law enforcement.
308.1.1 VEHICLE PURSUIT DEFINED
A vehicle pursuit is an event involving one or more law enforcement officers attempting to
apprehend a suspect, who is attempting to avoid arrest while operating a motor vehicle by using
high-speed driving or other evasive tactics, such as driving off a highway, turning suddenly, or
driving in a legal manner but willfully failing to yield to an officer’s signal to stop.
308.2 OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES
It shall be the policy of this department that a vehicle pursuit shall be conducted only with red light
and siren as required by Vehicle Code § 21055 for exemption from compliance with the rules of
the road. The following policy is established to provide officers with guidelines for driving with due
regard and caution for the safety of all persons using the highway as required by Vehicle Code §
21056. Officers shall stop at all redlights and stop signs prior to entering any intersection.
308.2.1 WHEN TO INITIATE A PURSUIT
Officers are authorized to initiate a pursuit when it is reasonable to believe that a suspect is
attempting to evade arrest or detention by fleeing in a vehicle.
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/06, All Rights Reserved. Vehicle Pursuits - 1
Published with permission by Delano Police Department