Foot pursuits can be an important tool used by police officers to apprehend suspects, but they come with risk of injury for everyone involved, including bystanders and officers.
Since 2020, the SC Municipal Insurance Trust has reported that foot pursuits of fleeing suspects has accounted for nearly 100 claims and more than $1 million in incurred costs.
The Municipal Association of SC Risk Management Services’ Public Safety Training, taking place May 15 in Columbia, will address the ways that officers can prevent injury when chasing and apprehending suspects. Michael Ranalli, retired chief of police for the Glenville, New York, Police Department will lead the session exploring whether the outcomes of a pursuit are worth the risk.
SCMIT and the SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund also offer a model policy on foot pursuits which member municipalities can adopt as one of the law enforcement policies available to help reduce risk as much as possible.
The model foot pursuit policy calls for officers to continuously assess risk during a foot pursuit, and requires them to “evaluate the risk involved to themselves, the suspect and the community versus the benefit of continuing.”
Whenever possible, officers should consider alternatives to a foot pursuit, according to the policy, including area containment and surveilling until additional officers become available.
It also asks officers to consider a wide variety of factors:
- Whether the suspect is armed
- The seriousness of the suspect’s offense, and whether the suspect poses a threat to the community upon escaping
- Whether the suspect’s identity is known, making apprehension at a later time more practical
- Whether the officer is acting alone, will receive backup shortly, and is able to maintain radio contact
- Whether environmental conditions are conducive to the pursuit, and if the pursuit will endanger others in the area
- If the officer is in a physical condition to pursue
The policy requires pursuing officers to immediately report a description of the suspect, if they are armed, the reason for the pursuit, the direction of travel, and a continuous update on the location. It also requires the primary officer to maintain a consistent and sufficient distance from the suspect, providing an opportunity to take cover from gunfire and to coordinate with backup officers. When possible, they should also attempt to alert others in the area to police presence.
Police supervisors also have responsibilities under the policy. They are expected to monitor a pursuit as it is happening, directing resources to make the pursuit as safe as possible, and to order a termination of the pursuit if they find that the risk to the officer, the public or the suspect outweighs the significance of apprehending the suspect. Finally, the policy calls for officers who have engaged in foot pursuits to complete a formalized review form of the action, to be reviewed by their supervisors.
The Public Safety Training session on May 15 will also address law enforcement officer moonlighting, health and wellness for first responders and updates on Occupational Safety and Health Administration fire service regulations. Learn more, and find model policies for SCMIT and SCMIRF members online.