NCJ Number
212275
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: 2005 Pages: 530-545
Date Published
2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study was a follow-up to a 1998 study of police pursuits that resulted in death or serious injury, as it examined the characteristics of police pursuits in greater detail.
Abstract
The previous study concluded that the high risks and costs of police pursuits indicate the need for an in-depth examination of the policies and practices associated with these pursuits. The current study addressed the annual frequency of police pursuits in Queensland; the characteristics of these pursuits; the justifications for them; the profile of the typical pursued driver; and the range of pursuit consequences, such as collisions, injuries/deaths, and apprehensions and charges. The study used administrative data collected by the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Queensland Police Service over a 5-year period (July 1, 1997, to June 30, 2001). There was an average of 17 pursuits per year. The average pursuit lasted for approximately 7 minutes, and the most common reason for initiating a pursuit was a traffic or driving violation (about half of all pursuits). The next most common reason for a pursuit was that the pursued vehicle was stolen (one-quarter of pursuits). Over 90 percent of the pursued drivers were male, and at least three-fourths of the drivers were under 30 years old. Approximately one-quarter to one-third of the pursued drivers had consumed alcohol or drugs. Eleven people were killed in pursuits over the study period. Very few of the apprehended drivers were charged with crimes more serious than what was known by police at the time of the pursuit, thus undermining the argument that pursuits lead to arrests of drivers being sought for serious charges not known at the time the pursuit was initiated. The findings suggest that more restrictive pursuit policies could increase the safety of officers and the public without impeding police efforts to apprehend dangerous offenders. 5 tables, 3 figures, 8 notes, and 14 references