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Newport News Police Department
2. The first unit to establish visual contact with the primary police unit involved in the pursuit, and the
suspect vehicle will join the pursuit. This second vehicle will maintain visual contact and may assume
the duty of advising by radio the progress, speed and direction of the pursuit. [41.2.2(d)]
3. Normally, no more than two police vehicles will be involved in an active vehicular pursuit. Other units
will be assigned as needed to respond in a non-emergency mode to the general vicinity to assist.
However, based upon the seriousness of the suspected crimes of the vehicle's occupants (i.e., murder,
robbery, maiming) and the number of occupants within the vehicle, the on-duty supervisor may
permit additional units to engage in the pursuit (including having units parallel the route of the
pursuit). [41.2.2(e,g)]
4. When the Real Time Crime Center staff is available and alerted to a pursuit, a member will utilize
available resources to assist with the pursuit by using cameras to track the vehicle and provide
location and subject description updates over the radio.
5. Prisoner transport vans, oversized vehicles (i.e., mobile command post or tactical equipment truck)
and motorcycle units are prohibited from initiating and participating in vehicle pursuits as a primary
or secondary unit. [41.1.3(a); 41.2.2(e)]
6. The unmarked units may initiate a pursuit; however, once marked units can take over, the unmarked
vehicle will first surrender the primary, then the secondary role. The operator of the unmarked unit
must remain aware of the emergency equipment in their vehicle and its effectiveness on emergency
driving and public safety. [41.2.2(e)]
7. An on-duty patrol supervisor in the affected precinct is responsible for supervising the pursuit. They
will closely monitor the progress of the pursuit and terminate it at any time it is judged appropriate
in consideration of public safety and the procedures found herein. A pursuit may also be terminated
by any supervisor who observes conditions that meet the criteria in section III. B. The supervisor
and/or involved officers will not be criticized for exercising the authority to terminate a pursuit.
[41.2.2(g,h)]
8. Any officer who does not discontinue a pursuit that a supervisor has terminated shall be subject to
disciplinary action for violating this policy and failure to obey orders. [41.2.2(h)]
9. Utilizing stationary barricading of roadways could result in injury and is prohibited. [41.2.2(f); 41.2.3(a,b,
d)]
10. Ramming the pursued vehicle is strictly prohibited. [41.2.3(a)]
G. Use of Road Spikes [41.2.3(a,b,c)]
1. Road spikes allow officers to deploy a row of spikes in the roadway to deflate the tires of a suspect
vehicle fleeing from police in a vehicle pursuit and bring the vehicle to a halt.
2. The deployment of the road spike device is considered a use of force that could result in injury. The
request to use this device must be weighed against factors justifying its deployment, and the same
criteria used before a police pursuit shall be utilized (see Section I, paragraph A).
3. The road spikes will be kept in patrol vehicles and/or the precincts. Only those officers who have
completed the training in the use of the road spikes will be allowed to check out the devices during
their tour of duty. These officers will also be the only ones allowed to deploy the device.
4. The primary officer engaged in pursuit may request that the road spikes be deployed. However, the
supervisor monitoring the pursuit must grant final authorization for the device’s deployment and the
location chosen for deployment before the road spikes are used. [41.2.3(d)]
5. The device will not be deployed or used:
a. On curves, hills, bridges or overpasses,
b. To stop any vehicle transporting hazardous materials,
c. To stop any passenger bus while transporting passengers,
d. To stop any school bus while transporting students,
e. To stop any vehicle that poses an unusual hazard to the public,
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