go-27.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS SUBJECT Vehicle Pursuits CHIEF OF POLICE Signature on file Proudly Policing Since Nationally Accredited 1841 1986 NUMBER ORIGINAL ISSUE CURRENT REVISION TOTAL PAGES 27 07/15/1985 06/19/2019 21 AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES FS 316.072, Obedience to and Effect of Traffic Laws FS 941.35, Fresh Pursuit General Order 16, Digital Audio/Video Recording System General Order 33, Jurisdiction, Mutual Aid, and … Task Force Agreements General Order 60, Response to Resistance General Order 63, Officer-Involved Action Resulting in Serious Injury or Death General Order 66, Vehicle Assignment and Operations CDA Policy 630, Tactical Dispatching Plan CDA Policy 636, Vehicle Pursuits ACCREDITATION REFERENCES CALEA Chapters 41, 81 CFA Chapters 14, 22, 25 KEY WORD INDEX Authorization to Pursue Procedure I CDA Protocols Procedure V Channeling Protocols Procedure VII Communications/Driving Tactics Procedure IV Documentation/Administrative Review Procedure XVI Evaluating the Circumstances/Factors to Consider Procedure II Forcible Stop Technique – General Procedure IX Forcible Stop Technique – PIT Procedure X Forcible Stop Technique – Ramming Procedure XIII Forcible Stop Technique – Roadblocks Procedure XI Forcible Stop Technique – Tire Deflation Device Procedure XII Internal Affairs Unit Responsibilities Procedure XVII\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Prohibitions and Cautions Procedure III Pursuits Initiated by Other Agencies Procedure XV Supervisor Responsibilities Procedure VI Tactical Vehicle Interception Protocols Procedure VIII Termination of Vehicle Pursuit Procedure XIV POLICY Officers may conduct vehicle pursuits based on the reasonable belief the driver or occupant of the fleeing vehicle has committed a felony involving violence or the threat of violence to the officer or another person. Vehicle pursuits shall be conducted with due consideration for the safety of the public, the officers involved and the occupants of the fleeing vehicle. DEFINITIONS AVR: Digital Audio and Video Recording System. Channeling: The intentional diversion or redirection of a vehicle from its current direction toward a pre-selected direction by the deployment of Department vehicles and/or tire deflation devices. Channeling is not considered a forcible stop technique. Deadly Force: Any force likely to cause serious injury (i.e., an injury to a person which creates a substantial risk of death, causes serious permanent disfigurement, or results in permanent loss or impairment of the function of any body appendage or organ) or death. Deadly Force Situation: When an officer believes it is objectively reasonable to use deadly force to defend their life or the life of another person from an imminent threat of serious injury or death. Department Vehicle: Any motor vehicle owned, leased or rented by the City of Tallahassee and/or operated by the Tallahassee Police Department. Forcible Stop Technique (FST): The intentional positioning of Department vehicles and/or the intentional introduction of direct force and/or the utilization of a tire deflation device into the vehicle pursuit with the goal to either coerce or compel the conclusion of evasive action. Marked Patrol Vehicle: Any Department vehicle painted or custom-wrapped in the manner approved by the Chief of Police designed to be easily recognized as a Department vehicle and equipped with emergency lights and siren. This includes the Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD patrol vehicle. GENERAL ORDER 27 PAGE 2 of 21 VEHICLE PURSUITS JUNE 19, 2019\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Non-traditional Police Vehicle: Any unmarked Department vehicle which is equipped with emergency lights and siren, or a marked patrol vehicle which has a high center of gravity (e.g., sport utility vehicle, van, truck). The Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD patrol vehicle is NOT considered a non-traditional police vehicle. Precision Intervention Technique (PIT): The FST of using an authorized Department vehicle to physically force a fleeing vehicle from its course of travel in order to stop it. Primary Pursuit Officer: The officer who initiates a vehicle pursuit or the officer who assumes control of the pursuit as the first Department vehicle behind the fleeing vehicle. Ramming: The FST of impacting a suspect with a Department vehicle with force likely to cause serious injury or death. This includes forcibly striking a fleeing vehicle in an attempt to disable or force the vehicle to stop. Roadblock: The FST of strategically positioning Department vehicles on a roadway with the intent of completely stopping the flow of vehicle traffic to aid in the apprehension of a suspect. Secondary Pursuit Officer: Any designated officer who is actively involved in the pursuit, trails the primary pursuit officer at a safe distance and is available to assume the primary role or assist the primary pursuit officer if the fleeing vehicle is stopped. Support Unit: Officers in a Department vehicle not active in the pursuit, but close enough to readily assist pursuit officers as needed. Tactical Vehicle Interception (TVI): The use of a Department vehicle to intentionally and forcibly immobilize a vehicle. Tire Deflation Device: FST equipment designed to disable vehicle tires through slow, controlled deflation. Traffic Crash: Any unintentional collision involving a motor vehicle in transport (in motion, in readiness for motion or on a highway), including on public or private property which results in death, injury or property damage. (Vehicle) Pursuit: An officer’s use of a Department vehicle in an active attempt to apprehend at least one occupant of another vehicle when the driver of the other vehicle is reasonably believed to be aware of that attempt and is resisting apprehension. GENERAL ORDER 27 PAGE 3 of 21 VEHICLE PURSUITS JUNE 19, 2019\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT The resisting apprehension may be defined as a deliberate refusal to stop, whether the driver’s actions are reckless or cautious (e.g., stopping for traffic control devices, obeying the speed limit). Following a driver believed to be proceeding to a safer or more public area, or closing in on another vehicle (by exceeding the speed limit) to conduct a traffic stop is not considered a pursuit. PROCEDURES I. VEHICLE PURSUIT AUTHORIZATION A. The decision to initiate a vehicle pursuit rests with the individual officer, but must be approved by a sergeant, the Watch Commander or higher Department authority to continue, and: 1. Cannot be approved by an acting supervisor (i.e., acting sergeant), 2. May be canceled by a sergeant, the Watch Commander or higher Department authority at any time in accordance with subsection VI below, and 3. May be canceled by the primary pursuit officer at any time after due consideration for the circumstances and factors listed in subsections II A and B below. B. An officer may initiate a vehicle pursuit only upon the reasonable belief the driver or occupant of the fleeing vehicle (including a motorcycle) has committed a felony involving violence or the threat of violence to the officer or another person. Such crimes include, but are not limited to: 1. Aggravated assault 2. Aggravated battery 3. Aggravated child abuse 4. Kidnapping 5. Manslaughter 6. Murder 7. Robbery GENERAL ORDER 27 PAGE 4 of 21 VEHICLE PURSUITS JUNE 19, 2019\n\n--- Page 5 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT 8. Sexual battery 9. Vehicular homicide C. Vehicle pursuits for misdemeanor crimes, civil and traffic infractions or local ordinance violations are prohibited. D. Violation of Probation or Parole (VOP) for one of the felonies listed in subsection B does not, by itself, meet the standard necessary to initiate a vehicle pursuit. While VOP may be a factor included in the decision process, it shall not be the sole determining factor. E. Fleeing from law enforcement in a motor vehicle does not, by itself, me