Red Stripe Polices 2.0

Hostage and Barricade Situations: Objectives

a. Protect life of hostage;

b. Protect lives of innocent bystanders;

c. Protect police lives;

d. Obtain hostage release; and

e. Arrest suspect

Hostage and Barricade Situations: Tactics

a. Contain and do nothing;

b. Contain and negotiate;

c. Contain and use selective fire power;

d. Contain and use chemical agents; and

e. Contain and assault;

f. Release the suspect

Vehicle Pursuits Objectives

1. Prevent injury or death to the public;

2. Prevent injury or death to law enforcement personnel;

3. Minimize the possibility of injury or death to the occupants of the vehicle being pursued; and

4. Reduce the potential for sustaining damage to the vehicles involved, or other property

Code 3 Transports

a. The nature of the emergency;

b. The dangers and hazards involved; and

c. The emotional condition of the person being transported.

Vehicle Pursuits: 22 Factors

1. The seriousness of the originating violation or suspected violation and its relationship to community safety;

2. Safety of the public in the area of the pursuit;

3. Safety of the pursuing Deputy(ies);

4. Volume of vehicular traffic;

5. Volume of pedestrian traffic;

6. Location of pursuit;

7. Speeds involved

8. Time of day;

9. Weather conditions;

10. Road conditions;

11. Familiarity of the Deputy, Supervisor, or Manager with the area in which the pursuit is occurring;

12. Quality of radio communications between the pursuing units and Dispatcher and supervisor

13. The capability of the police vehicles involved

14. The likelihood of identification and apprehension of the suspect(s) at a later time, or if the identity of the driver is known;

15. The availability of resources from other law enforcement agencies;

16. The Deputies’ knowledge of the factors that may affect the driving skill of the suspect, such as age, driving experience, or mental impairment;

17. Whether there are any persons in the Deputies’ vehicle(s) other than sworn members of the Office of the Sheriff;

18. Whether there are other persons in or on the pursued vehicle, including children, passengers, co-offenders, and/or hostages.

19. The distance and duration of the pursuit;

20. The Deputies’ experience and training

21. Th distance between the Deputies’ and suspects’ vehicles and;

22. The availability of supervision.

Pursuit Rules to Follow

1. Close proximity and visual in the suspect vehicle before activating lights and siren

2. Lights and sirens SHALL be used for the duration of the pursuit. Deputies should not continue the pursuit if lights and sirens become inoperable.

3. Pursuits should be limited to 2 units (primary and secondary) unless the Supervisor deems necessary for additional units are necessary

4. Pursuit units should attempt to keep to the center of the roadway so the red lights are visible to oncoming traffic

5. Pursuing units should avoid passing vehicles on the right unless no other option is available

6. Units shall not pass or attempt to pass unit engaged in the pursuit except at the request of the Deputies in the unit to be passed or upon direction of the Supervisor

7. When a pursuit is initiated by a motorcycles or unmarked unit, the motorcycle or unmarked unit shall abandon the pursuit when a four-wheel marked unit joins the pursuit. The initiating unit shall proceed to the termination point if the pursuit.

8. Deputies shall terminate a pursuit whenever directed to do so by a Supervisor. If a Supervisor is unavailable or does not expressly authorize the continuation of the pursuit at the onset, the Deputy shall terminate the pursuit unless the suspect is suspected of a violent felony and is an immediate threat to public safety.

9. All other units should remain alert to the pursuit progress and location, and stay off the air and away from the pursuit.

10. Pursuing vehicles shall keep vehicles at speeds that will enable them to keep the vehicles under control at all times

11. Units shall drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.

12. If involved in an accident, notify the Patrol Supervisor at once. Do not make statements pending the Patrol Supervisor’s arrival. The accident investigation should be handled by the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction of the area in which the accident occurred. Deputies involved in such accidents will adhere to the procedures contained in this manual.

Vehicle Pursuit Primary Unit Responsibilities

Notify Dispatch of the following:

a. A pursuit is underway

b. Location and direction of travel

c. Known law violation or reason for the pursuit

d. Description of the vehicle and license plate, is possible

e. Speed of the fleeing vehicle

f. Number of the occupants in the vehicle

Vehicle Pursuit Primary Unit Accountable For

Primary unit is accountable for the following:

a. Conduct the pursuit until relinquished to another unit or a Supervisor;

b. Judicious operation of the vehicle during the operation

c. The decision to continue or discontinue the pursuit

d. Termination point scene command until the arrival or a Supervisor.

Vehicle Pursuit Secondary Unit Responsibilities

Secondary units shall:

a. Immediately notify Dispatch if they joining the pursuit and identity themselves

b. May take over radio communications if I’m a position to do so

c. Be in a position to provide cover

When a firearm may be discharged

1. For evidence examination purposes or at an approved target range

2. When killing a seriously wounded animal when other disposal is impractical or when killing an animal that poses an immediate threat of physical harms. Attempts should be made to:

   i. Wait for Animal Control, if possible

   ii. Confine or contain the animal, if possible

   iii. Consider deployment of pepper (OC) spray or other less lethal force;

   iiii. Use lethal force as a last resort, if other options are not reasonable

3. When necessary in the defense of one’s own life or to prevent serious physical harm

4. When necessary in the defense of any person in image danger of death or serious physical injury

5. To capture or prevent the escape of a person when ALL the conditions below are met:

   i. There is reasonable belief that the person is committing or has committed a violent felony which involves the use of deadly force

   ii. The person’s use of deadly force threatens or results in the death or serious bodily injury of another person and

   iii. All other available means of apprehending the person have failed

When a firearms may NOT be discharged:

1. As a warning

2. To prevent the escape or effect the capture of a person who is reasonably believed to be committing or have committed a violent felony which DOES NOT involve the use or threat to use deadly force

3. In any misdemeanor case

4. From or at a moving vehicle except when in defense of one’s own life or the life of another person

Code 3 Justifications

1. An incident requiring a response to prevent further injury and/or death to any person

2. Any incident requiring the immediate presence of a law enforcement officer to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating

3. Apprehending of a fleeing felon or other serious law violator

Failure to Yield vs Pursuit

Failure to yield: The actions of a driver who fails to stop his/her vehicle in response to the activation of the emergency lights and sirens of a law enforcement vehicle, but continues to travel forward at or below the speed limit, observing traffic control devices and other applicable rules of the road, and does not change the direction of travel in an evasive manner.

Pursuit: