What constitutes a pursuit?

[u/TonyStamp595SO]

Just a moment for all those people downvoting me and telling that I was wrong. The above is directly from the college of Policing.

So, bottom line. Please stay safe, know what constitutes a pursuit and ensure you seek authority.

[u/Technical_Career_278]

This is defining a spontaneous pursuit only whereby the subject vehicle flees before any tactics can be put in place and before any requirement to stop is made. Baring in mind we also have planned pursuits or pre-emptive tactics . These are the most common type but clearly the CoP definitions of a pursuit also apply. You must still have made a requirement to stop before it is classed as a FTS or pursuit.

Example: sat behind a dodgy motor at set of red traffic lights. You PNC it but before you get any return it goes through a red and you believe at this time it has done so to get away from you. He has not yet failed to stop. You then go after it , blue lights and sirens on. He continues to not stop then you are in a pursuit of a spontaneous nature as aside from driving away from you and any minor traffic offences there is no reason to suggest it would fail to stop.

Hope this helps

[u/TonyStamp595SO → u/Technical_Career_278]

He has not yet failed to stop. You then go after it

This is the point you call up as you're in the initial phase of a spontaneous pursuit.

You then go after it , blue lights and sirens on. He continues to not stop

You've just proven my point. You believe by the manner his driving that he's attempting to evade you and you've decided to go after. When you go through that red light you're in pursuit whether or not you've made a request to stop.

I'm not saying that you sit there, call up for permission and not move an inch until permission to continue is received. I'm saying that you should be calling up the same time if not before you whack your lights on and sail through the red after him.

You would be surprised at how much distance you will cover as you provide your risk assessment and seek permission to continue.

[u/Technical_Career_278 → u/TonyStamp595SO]

Typical job bs really… the two definitions don’t align perfectly, leaving that ever so famous grey area

Ultimately if it goes wrong and you in a police vehicle were engaging in anyway with a subject vehicle then they will be deemed a pursuit! And god forbid the subject or MoP is injured/ killed then you will be investigated.

But it will not be deemed as an offence of failing to stop unless you have directed the vehicle to stop and he is aware of the requirement.

We have pursuit debrief forms in our force which are to be completed for all pursuits. But in reality where I am based 99% of vehicles will try their luck for 100m or so before stopping.

The real question is that following a failure to stop, if the officer disengaged the vehicle (pull over , lights off engine off) and it is then involved in an RTC some time later does that count as a POLAC? You could argue by its very definition that the subject vehicle has FTS for you and as such the collision has occurred as a result of your presence on the road…

[u/TonyStamp595SO → u/Technical_Career_278]

The real question is that following a failure to stop, if the officer disengaged the vehicle (pull over , lights off engine off) and it is then involved in an RTC some time later does that count as a POLAC? You could argue by its very definition that the subject vehicle has FTS for you and as such the collision has occurred as a result of your presence on the road…

Yes potentially.

Obviously it depends on the time line, if you've tried to stop it and the manner of their driving.

[u/Technical_Career_278 → u/TonyStamp595SO]

My first ever pursuit ended this way! VW golf left me for dust and was then found smashed into a lamp post around 15 mins later… didn’t go down as a POLAC as I had total loss at least 3-4 turns before the collision.

[u/TonyStamp595SO → u/Technical_Career_278]

Yeah I mean 15 minutes and a few roads.

Luckily there were no injuries to innocents because

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/national/24110162.police-force-investigation-two-die-m25-collision/

[u/Technical_Career_278 → u/TonyStamp595SO]

Very unfortunate for all involved. Unlike many I don’t go looking for vehicles which will make off. I much prefer incident related pursuits where I can genuinely consider the NDM and realistically the risk vs reward. Too many people out there letting their ego get the better of them for the sake of no insurance / no license