Pursuit Protocol

A service weapon is but one of the lethal instruments entrusted to our patrolmen. The cruiser can be be just as deadly, a two ton speeding bullet capable of outpacing the average street vehicle. Officers are expected to keep their assigned unit in good shape, and they are advised to maintain pursuit protocol.

Maintain Your Unit

First word of advice, keep it on the blacktop. Don't take risky short cuts, and moreover, don't treat your assigned car as a battering ram. Supervisors should take note of heavily damaged cruisers, and demerits will be allocated to the operators of such vehicles. Occasionally dispatch will instruct an Officer to make contact with or bump a suspect vehicle. Officers may also be instructed to perform a PIT maneuver, or participate in a roadblock. During situations such as these, Officers cannot be held accountable for the integrity of their vehicle. If an Officer finishes a shift with no damage, he or she may ask a supervisor to record that fact. This awards commendations for proper vehicle maintenance.

Arriving on Scene

When you arrive on a call, it is important to park your vehicle in an appropriate location. When we are called to a residence, policy dictates that we park on the street as opposed to in driveways. This applies to any active call. In the case of a traffic call, you must determine whether to block traffic or park on the side of the road. If there is any obstruction to the flow of traffic, an Officer should block the obstruction with his patrol car.


Performing a Vehicle Stop (AI non scripted)

Traffic is our primary concern. You may witness a civilian vehicle (AI unscripted) do something illegal. At this point you should follow the vehicle in question. You will call to dispatch and advise them that you are going to be 10-6 with that vehicle. Try to describe the vehicle and your location. The vehicle should stop, but after a few seconds he will start to move again. For this reason you should block their car from the front or request one additional unit to block for you. Take a few moments to issue a citation, then advise dispatch that you're code four.

Note that certain vehicles will not yield to your lights. Semi-trucks are chief among these, as San Andreas law permits them to keep moving at a steady traffic flow despite emergency lights. If shots are fired or guns are drawn, civilian vehicles have the right to attempt escape from danger so keep that in mind as well. If the civilian is running a red to escape gunfire, they are not considered viable stops.

Agro a Civilian Vehicle (AI non scripted)

Impromptu pursuits are achieved by getting a civilian vehicle to agro. This should only be done when dispatch says there are no more active calls, as we don't want a chase to cut through an upcoming criminal activity. To agro a civilian vehicle, pull close behind it on a major road and honk your horn multiple times. You'll notice if the car begins moving faster. At this point, follow the car and wait for it to inevitably make a traffic violation. Then light up. Most likely the agro effect will prohibit the suspect from stopping. Advise dispatch that a vehicle is failing to yield to your lights. Describe the vehicle and your location. Request back up. Now you are the primary vehicle in a chase. Follow the suspect, but do not try to run him off the road.

Primary Vehicle Pursuit Policy

If you are the Primary Vehicle in a pursuit then you likely initiated the pursuit yourself. Until a secondary vehicle has joined the pursuit you have a few responsibilities. Foremost, maintain pursuit and remember, this is a pursuit, not a smash up derby. Your goal at this point is to follow the vehicle at a safe distance, and report on your speed and location. Dispatch may ask you to roll up alongside a vehicle to establish eye contact with the operator. (This is for games sake. Real departments don't do that.) Dispatch might also ask you to bump a vehicle gently, to let them know you're serious. (This helps agro the vehicle further, and is optional.)

Once the secondary vehicle joins the pursuit you can stop reporting your position and speed. Your focus now is strictly pursuit. Unless dispatch orders otherwise, no other patrol car should overtake your position. If they attempt to, Primary should command them to back off.

Often times the primary unit will be asked to use their car to perform a Pit. As you know, this is achieved by gently tapping the rear axle of a fleeing vehicle. Wait until traffic is favorable to minimize civilian casualties or property damage. If the attempt is successful, units should break formation and box in the target vehicle. If pursuit order is abandoned, but the suspect escapes again, a new pursuit order will likely occur.

Secondary Vehicle Pursuit Policy

The secondary vehicle in a pursuit has the radio. In other words, they should describe the ever changing location of the chase, traffic conditions, and speeds. They will also help enforce the order of pursuit by challenging any Officers that attempt to overtake. Sometimes the lead or primary Unit in a chase makes a wrong turn, or loses control during a PIT maneuver. In situations such as these, secondary will become primary, and radio responsibilities will fall on a new secondary unit. When a pit is performed, the secondary Unit must move ahead of the pack and attempt to block the suspect vehicle from the front.

Discharging your Service Weapon from the Car

This is frowned upon. Firing from a moving vehicle is not something we do very often, and we never do this unless instructed to do so by Dispatch or a Supervisor. Stray bullets may strike innocent bystanders, and civilian commuters will panic behind the wheel, complicating the pursuit. If you are taking fire from a fleeing vehicle, you should align your cruiser so that the shooter has minimal range. Fall back some, and swerve to avoid incoming rounds. Once you receive permission to return fire, you will often be asked to focus your fire on the shooter specifically, as opposed to the driver or other passengers. Remain professional, and you will receive commendations for your performance.