Metro Police rewrites rules on car chases

Jen Lawson

Thursday, March 13, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

Pursuit tactics A revised Metro Police policy on pursuits adds three new definitions of pursuit tactics:

In light of public scrutiny of the Metro Police Department's broad and discretionary rules on high-speed pursuits, Metro today released a revised policy aimed at making chases safer.

The policy calls for ways to avoid crashes by using helicopters, having officers back off and requiring supervisors to continually re-evaluate the need for the chase.

"We do not want to stifle police work, but we do want to make it clear to our officers that they will be held accountable to do the right thing," said Capt. Greg McCurdy, who headed up the evaluation committee that wrote the policy. "The intention is to prevent collisions and keep our community as safe as possible."

A team of four captains and three lieutenants began looking at Metro's chase policy on Jan. 8, and the new policy will go into effect on Saturday.

Sheriff Bill Young wanted the team to consider whether more supervisor involvement would reduce crashes and injury.

"Sometimes critical decisions are better made by people not immediately involved," McCurdy said.

Under the new policy, a supervisor must constantly re-evaulate the circumstances of the pursuit. Alternatives such as stop sticks, which are strips with spikes put down in front of a fleeing vehicle to puncture the tires, and helicopters should be considered, according to the revised policy.

It also says supervisors should not be the lead vehicle in a chase.

A study released in December showed that police chases in Las Vegas end in crashes at a higher rate than in many other cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Only Dallas had a higher rate than Metro of vehicle chases involving crashes in 2001, according to the study, which was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Commission.

In fiscal year 1999-2000 Metro Police were involved in 166 pursuits that resulted in 24 collisions and no fatalities.

That rose to 220 pursuits, 36 collisions and two fatalities the following year, and last year Metro recorded 240 pursuits, 45 collisions, and one fatality.

The policy does not spell out what officers should do in all situations, and that was intentional, Assistant Sheriff Ray Flynn said.

"We don't want the criminal element to think we won't chase them," Flynn said. "If there are too many restrictions, suspects will know they can get away with certain things."

Metro looked at chase policies used by police in San Diego, San Jose, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., Miami and Phoenix in crafting the new regulations.

The main focus of the plan is to prohibit chases with multiple patrol cars following a suspect at high speeds. Instead officers are to slow down and shut off lights and sirens if a helicopter unit is chasing the fleeing vehicle from above.

Officers should also consider using a method called the "bubble tactic," in which the lights and sirens are off and the cruiser keeps visual contact with the fleeing vehicle at a safe distance.

The revised policy also emphasizes that the use of a police vehicle to stop a fleeing suspect's vehicle, such as ramming, could be considered deadly force.

The policy spells out the criteria supervisors must consider when deciding to allow an officer to continue a chase:

The policy also calls for an improved system of reviewing and gathering statistical data on pursuits.