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Date: 11/01/90 Revision: 02/23/23 Reviewed: 04/01/25 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: GEN 511.00 Page: 1 of 5 SUBJECT: OPERATION OF SHER IFF'S OFFICE VEHICLES; EMERGENCY, VEHIC LE, TRAFFIC STOP I. PURPOSE : The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to define guidelines for the safe operation of Sheriff's Office vehicles. II. SCOPE : This shall apply to all Sherif f's Office perso nnel regarding the routine and emergenc y operation of Sheriff's Office vehic les. III. DISCUSSION : The routine and emergency operation of Sheriff's Office vehicles is an area of prime concern to law enforcement and civilian personnel. It is imperative th at guidelines be established which will assist in the safe, effective , and cost-efficient operation of all Sheriff's Office vehicles. IV. DEFINITIONS : A. Authorized Emergency Vehicle - Sheriff's Office vehicles designated by the Sheriff. All Sheriff's Office vehicles operated by law enforcem ent deputies are designated as author ized emergency vehicles. B. Authorized Persons - Sheriff's Office personnel to whom a Sheriff's Office vehicle is permanently or temporarily assigned, fleet mainte nance personnel , and personnel of automotive repair age ncies for purposes of vehicle maintenance. C. Com petent Authority - Sheriff, Department Commanders , and Division/District Commanders. * D. Emergency Call - A situation either reported or observe d, characterized by a need for immediate law enforcement respo nse to assure the safety of persons or property, or to apprehend a criminal suspe ct. This includes calls for an officer in troub le. E. Emergency Signal Device - Siren and flashing and/or revolving blue lights , which meet the requirements of Florida Sta tutes. F. Emergency Vehicle Operation - Operation of a Sheriff's Office vehicle with emergency lights and continuous or intermittent use of siren in response to an impending threat to human safety. G. Lane Splitting - refers to a two -wheeled vehicle movi ng between lanes of vehicles that are proceeding in the same direction. More narrowly, it refers to passing stopped or slower moving traffic between lanes at a speed greater than surrounding traffic . * H. Non-Emergen cy Call - A call for service that does n ot involve a criminal act or threat to life or pr operty, or one that involves a criminal act that is no longer “in-progress ”, and there is no reasonable expectation that a suspect will be apprehend ed as a result of a more rap id law enforcement response. Du ring this response, all deputies sha ll follow traffic laws and shall drive in a safe and courteous manner. GEN 511.00 02/23/23 Page 2 of 5 I. Sheriff's Office Vehicle - Any vehicle owned or lea sed by the Sheriff's Office. V. ROUTINE VEHICLE OPER ATIONS : A. Under normal, non -emergency , operating conditions, and while responding to ro utine calls for service, operators of Sheriff's Office vehicles shall strictly adhere to all traffic laws and shal l drive defensively in a safe and courteous manner. Operators of Sheriff's Office vehicles shall exercise a greater than ordinar y degree of care while backing their vehicle. Seat belts shall be worn at all times as required by Florida Statutes. 1. Only authorized persons shall be permi tted to operate Sher iff's Office vehicles. 2. Sheriff's Office personnel shall operate Sheriff's Office vehic les only when properly licensed to do so by the State of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. 3. Operators of Sheriff's Office vehicles shall be re sponsible for proper use and care of the vehicle, and all accessories, equip ment , and tools assigned to the vehicles. B. Requests for Sheriff's Office Vehicles to Stop - Sheriff's Office personnel, when requested or commanded to stop b y another law enforc ement officer, shall (except when in emergency operation): 1. Immediately stop, regardle ss of assignment. 2. Clearly identify self and activity, unless such declaration would nullify or hinder a crimina l investigation. 3. When the oper ator of a Sheriff's Office vehicle continues to be detained by another law enforcement officer, advise the radio dispatcher of the circumstances and request that a supervisor report to the site of detention. 4. Submit a mem orandum of the incident to the op erator's Division/Di strict Commander through the chain of command. VI. EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATION : A. Personnel are routinely called upon to respond to calls for service of an immediate nature. While a rapid response to a citizen's needs is of the utmo st importance, the safety of the public and personnel must be the guiding factor when responding to such calls. Sheriff's Office personnel engaged in an emergency response situation are not relieved from the responsibility of driving with due regard for t he safety of all per sons, nor shall the provisions of Sections 316.072 and 316.126, F lorida Statutes , protect personnel from the consequences of reckless disregard for the safety of others. 1. Sheriff's Office personnel , who are exceeding the posted speed limit while respond ing to information that an actual emergency condition exists or is believed