Civilians love police pursuits on TV. But why? What is the allure? For the viewer, a police pursuit is a real-time drama with an unknown outcome. The potential for harm increases the anticipation and uncertainty as the event rolls on and then, hopefully, the viewer gets his payout when he witnesses the pursuit’s conclusion. But what if you are the one engaged in the pursuit? You and your decision-making capabilities are playing out for the world to see.  You may not have asked for a featured role, but your actions will be scrutinized and evaluated, and so it pays to be prepared.

Take the initiative to train and prepare for a pursuit so your decision making is clearheaded and not clouded by the stress of the pursuit. Do not allow the pursuit to manage you; you manage the pursuit.

Train and prepare with the mindset of doing what is the right for the public, for your agency, for yourself, and for the suspect. Always ask yourself if your actions are reasonable responses to the circumstances you are confronted with, and if the citizens you serve will be inclined to see your actions as reasonable.

But how do you train and prepare for spontaneous situations when every incident is unique? The first thing you should do is study your agency’s policy on pursuits. Continue to review it with the public you protect in mind. Study, role-play and critique to become a better decision maker.

Expect that the unexpected will test you without warning. This mental preparation should prepare you to manage your pursuit with poise, professionalism and control. Before and during a vehicle pursuit, maintain an accountability mindset: to yourself with training and preparation, to the public by studying and applying policy correctly, and to your peers by operating with officer safety foremost in your mind.

Being a street cop is the toughest job in the world, not only because of the work we do, but because we are called upon to explain and defend the decisions we make while we are in a crisis mode. By managing the pursuit instead of allowing the pursuit to manage you, you will be ahead of the game.

Timothy Long is a sergeant and 19-year California law enforcement veteran. He is a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Master Instructor and has developed a three-day course on Pursuit Management for Field Supervisors.

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