Safety a priority when it comes to car chases, police official says

SACRAMENTO, Calif — A community is questioning whether a police policy on car chases hurt more than it helped after a Modesto car chase led to the deaths of two innocent bystanders. 

While the Modesto Police Department determines whether the use of spike strips was "effective" during a June 15 high-speed chase, people can read their local police department's policy in the meantime. 

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Ralph Brown, bureau chief for training, delivery and compliance with the Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training, said the state sets the minimum guidelines for California officers, including the protocol for police chases.

"We provide the minimum standard," Brown said. "We want [police departments] to go beyond those."

When it comes to car chases, Brown said officers should be balancing the need to apprehend the vehicle and the person within the car, the risk created by the pursuit, and other factors like weather and traffic.

Brown said the priority should be the general public's safety when making the decision to have a car chase.

"When in pursuit, you should never jeopardize the public's safety," Brown said.

Since the commission only sets the minimum standards, Brown said many police departments will have standards that fit the need of the department.

The Modesto Police Department's standards do not vary from the commission's guidelines on police chases.

These are the car chase policies for Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto Police Departments:

Sacramento

Under the Sacramento Police Department's policy, supervisors can order a police chase to end. 

Stockton

For Stockton Police, the decision to start and carryout a car chase falls on the senior officer who first came into contact with the vehicle being chased. The senior officer must communicate what is going on from the start to the end of the chase and decide if there are additional units needed.

Modesto

The Modesto Police Department's policy does not vary greatly from the minimum standards set out by the Commission of Police Officers Standards and Training.

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