| For Immediate Release | For more information contact: |
| February 18, 1999 | Sandra Whalen (651-296- 5529) |
ST. PAUL Legislation approved today by the House Crime Prevention Committee will set standard and regulations on high-speed police chases, according to the bill's author, Rep. Rich Stanek (R-Maple Grove), a Minneapolis police captain.
The measure will enact statewide requirements for police pursuits based on a model policy of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board. The policy model will direct law enforcement agencies to adopt local police pursuit policies in conformity with the state policy. It also creates a program to use other technology such as tire deflators and driver simulator techniques to safely end pursuits.
"There haven't been firm policies or solid authoritative recommendations to guide officers when faced with the choice of pursuing a suspect. We are required instead to make a split-second decision based only on our personal knowledge of our own skills, our trust in our vehicle and our familiarity with the surroundings," Stanek said. "The result of that is sometimes the unavoidable tragic deaths of innocent persons who unfortunately are in the path of the pursuit."
The bill requires new and existing peace officers to receive pre-service and in-service training in conducting police pursuits in conformity with learning objectives developed by the POST Board. The bill creates two new programs for distributing tire deflator devices and driving simulators for use by state and local law enforcement agencies.
"Public safety is and should be the number one concern in these proceedings, but safety of Minnesota citizens is also the underlying reason for many of the pursuits. With this legislation and the training it provides for, we are hoping to prevent as many deaths and injuries to citizens and peace officers as is reasonably possible," he continued.
Law enforcement officials including Anoka County Sheriff Larry Podany helped Stanek draft the legislation based on the POST Board model. "The issue of pursuit accidents has received a great deal of media attention throughout the state and the nation. The establishment of a statewide policy should create clearer pursuit procedures for law enforcement," Podany said. "The purpose of this bill is to save lives."