Valparaiso Police Department - Review Notes

Flashcards covering topics related to Valparaiso Police Department's explosive canine team, motor vehicle pursuit policies, and associated definitions and procedures.

Explosive Canine Team Response

Securing evacuated areas, establishing safe zones, and responding to the command center for further assignments.

Event Presence for Explosive Canine Team

Festivals, Concerts, Sporting Events, Other approved events.

Bomb Threat Response

The Valparaiso Police Dept. will not dictate whether an evacuation is to be executed. The Explosive Detection canine handler will utilize the information provided/available and best determine if his canine can be of assistance.

Compensation for Canine Unit

A stipend paid three times per year, not exceeding $15,000, reflecting the officer's pay scale at time and a half for 30 minutes per day to officers assigned to the Valparaiso Canine Unit for care and maintenance of the canine in accordance to the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA).

Fresh Pursuit

A situation that begins when a vehicle does not stop after an officer activates emergency lights and siren and a reasonable person would notice the officer's presence.

Pursuit Vehicle

A vehicle designed, tested and backed by the manufacturer to meet the standards set forth by the manufacturer to handle the duties of a pursuit vehicle for performance and handling, i.e…..brakes, radiator, suspension, transmission, etc…

Special Police Equipped Vehicle

A vehicle designed by the manufacturer to handle the equipment necessary for police functions of a vehicle, i.e…..electrical, wiring harness and heavy duty alternator. This does not necessarily mean upgraded performance and handling to meet requirements of a pursuit vehicle.

Authorized Emergency Vehicle

A vehicle of this agency equipped with operable emergency equipment as designated by state law.

Primary Unit

The police unit which initiates a pursuit or any unit which assumes control of the pursuit.

Regard/Deliberate Indifference

Careful consideration, not rash or sudden, willful rather than intentional, as a result of careful thought. Driving with caution and watching the welfare of the citizens on the roadway.

Stops

Any situation where the officer is deploying directly from a patrol vehicle.

Departmental vehicle

Any vehicle that is owned, leased, borrowed, or otherwise controlled by this agency.

Marked Vehicle

Any departmental vehicle, van type vehicle, or motorcycle that can be clearly identifiable by the average person (markings, i.e. color, shield, lighting).

Code 10/Emergency run

Driving conditions requiring the use of emergency equipment.

Emergency equipment

Emergency red/blue lights and sirens.

Emergency situation

A condition where a reasonable and prudent person would believe a crime is in progress, a person or person's life may be in jeopardy, or any situation that requires an immediate police presence.

Code 3 Run

Situation where only the red/blue emergency lights are used.

Vehicle Pursuit

An active attempt by an officer(s) in an authorized emergency vehicle to apprehend fleeing suspects who initiated the pursuit by attempting to avoid apprehension through evasive tactics.

Paralleling

To actively follow the pursuit at a distance by maintaining the same direction, course, or route of travel.

Ramming

The use of one's vehicle to strike another in an attempt to slow down, disable, or stop that vehicle, used in deadly force situation (defined in G.O. 1.3.1 - reasonable officer standard).

Boxing

An active attempt at using several vehicles to enclose or confine a suspect vehicle.

Overtake

An active attempt to overtake a motorist who is not yet aware that he/she is being pursued in order to: Position the police vehicle so that audible and/or visible signals to halt can effectively be communicated to the motorist and continuously communicate audible and/or visual signals to the motorist until he/she becomes aware of them.

Roadblock

A deliberate obstruction by physical means (as barricades, police cars, stop-sticks, etc.) at one or more selected points on a roadway for a specific purpose of controlling traffic as to capture a pursued car.

Caravanning

Following behind the units actually involved in the pursuit, while operating as an emergency vehicle.

Precision Immobilization Technique 'Pit Maneuver'

Basis of the technique is for the lead police vehicle with an operator trained in 'PIT' to contact the pursued vehicle in the rear quarter panel. Then gently push through the pursued vehicle. The pursued vehicle will spin around 180 degrees or more in a predicted area. A 'High Risk' stop will then be performed.

Adrenaline Rush

Increases awareness and helps the body get ready for the fight or flight syndrome which prepares the body for emergencies. The rush can effect the way one responds to emergencies, for example; driving too aggressively, taking unnecessary risks, acting in such a way we might be very sorry for later 'Siren Syndrome'.

Stress

A force; strain; tension; accent; pressure; emphasis. Stress produces adrenaline.

Operational Driving Stress

Stress caused by the exposure to the everyday stress caused by long periods of driving. This can have tendency to make a driver more accident-prone, forgetful, angry or even ill.

Tire Deflating Device

A device that provides a means to penetrate and deflate the tire(s) of a moving vehicle in a manner that will provide control and avoid a catastrophic failure (blow-out) of the penetrated tire(s), thus ensuring the safest possible means of reducing the mobility of that target vehicle.

Due Care

Applies not only to other drivers, but to any vehicle or pedestrian in the immediate vicinity. All are entitled to the benefit of a warning and opportunity to reach safety.

Officer's Conduct and Accidents

Courts have held that police negligence may be a concurrent cause of an accident to a third party, even when chase-induced accidents have occurred.

Use of force

Such force shall cease as soon as this objective is accomplished. In view of recent incidents involving deadly force and decisions on pursuits the duty to avoid injury or death to innocent third parties is superior to that of apprehension. Officers must consider the public as the priority.

Continuing pursuit evaluation

Requires an initial and constant evaluation of circumstances; it is the violator who initiates the pursuit. The decision to continue pursuit must be based on the careful consideration, not rash or sudden, willful rather than intentional, as a result of careful thought.

Proximity during traffic stop

To diminish the likelihood of a pursuit, officers intending to stop a vehicle should when practical, be within a close proximity to the suspect vehicle prior to activating their emergency equipment.

Vehicle pursuit justification

Officers may conduct a vehicle pursuit when specific articulable circumstances exist causing the officer to reasonably believe the occupant(s) has (have) committed or attempted a felony. Additionally, pursuits are permitted if the officer knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that the person being pursued is an immediate danger to others.

Traffic Violation Pursuit

Pursuits are permitted, only if necessary, to apprehend a motor vehicle which is involved in a traffic violation or other violation of Indiana law when the officer believe that the immediate apprehension of the suspect(s) is necessary and the immediate danger to the public created by the pursuit is less than the immediate or potential danger to the public should the suspect remain at large.

Vehicle fails to stop

To evaluate the dynamic situation of a vehicle that fails to stop for a Valparaiso Police Officer, the officer will be permitted to continue to overtake (see definition) the vehicle for a period of three (3) minutes.

Pursuit Time Limit

No officer will continue to pursue for more than three (3) minutes without a supervisor granting approval unless the suspect is wanted for a forcible felony and the deadly force rule would apply.

Pursuit Termination Authority

Any patrol supervisor has the authority to terminate a pursuit, and the pursuit will be terminated upon the supervisor's command to do so regardless of the reasons for or conditions of the pursuit.