E-LEARNING

Vehicular Pursuit Management: Balancing Risks and Enhancing Safety 

Vehicular Pursuit Management: Balancing Risks and Enhancing Safety, an eLearning course, explores the decision-making challenges for law enforcement professionals during vehicular pursuits. This course provides law enforcement executives with insights and knowledge that can help navigate the often-conflicting demands associated with police pursuits. A Prioritized Action Plan provides steps law enforcement leaders can take to review, manage, and implement effective pursuit policies. 

LEARNING HOURS: 3 HOURS

Title slide from the course showing an aerial view of a neighborhood.

Course Overview

Vehicular pursuits rank among the most hazardous and controversial activities undertaken by law enforcement. The purpose of this course is to provide police chiefs, sheriffs, and other law enforcement practitioners with insights and knowledge that can help navigate the complex challenges and the often-conflicting demands associated with police pursuits.

Based on the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and COPS Office publication, Vehicular Pursuits: A Guidebook for Law Enforcement Executives on Managing the Associated Risks, this eLearning course is informed by numerous pursuit policies and the expertise of field professionals, including law enforcement leaders from local, state, and tribal agencies.

The course details key concepts including the role of the supervisor and pursuit training and concludes with a Prioritized Action Plan that provides law enforcement leaders with concrete steps they can take to review, manage, and implement effective pursuit policies. se is for learners to cultivate the skills and knowledge to develop policies that minimize risks and enhance the overall effectiveness of pursuit operations.

Target Audience

This course is intended for law enforcement executives, decision-makers, and policymakers. However, the course is also appropriate for any public safety practitioner or stakeholder who is interested in learning more about the process of establishing vehicular pursuit policies and managing pursuits to promote safety.

Cooperative Partners

This tuition-free online training was developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and was originally supported by cooperative agreement 2020-CK-WX-K035 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the advantages of establishing vehicle pursuit philosophies and policies
  • Identify the key components of a vehicle pursuit
  • List the risks involved in vehicle pursuits
  • Identify the challenges and considerations in setting pursuit policies
  • Recognize the role of supervisory involvement in managing the risks of a pursuit
  • Identify means of managing the risks associated with vehicular pursuits
  • Explore the importance of pursuit interventions in managing the risks of vehicular pursuits
  • Explore alternatives that can shorten or eliminate the need for a vehicular pursuit
  • List the considerations for pursuit interventions
  • Recognize the role of data in managing law enforcement pursuits
  • List the components of a comprehensive pursuit reporting system
  • Explore how agency-level analysis of pursuit data can be used to identify areas of improvement
  • Identify the advantages of having partnerships with independent research partners
  • Identify the benefits of providing regular and realistic pursuit training to agencies
  • Explore models that can guide pursuit-related decision making
  • List the components of a comprehensive pursuit driving training
  • Recognize the benefits of community engagement and transparency about vehicular pursuits
  • List methods for educating the community about pursuits
  • Explore methods of community engagement regarding pursuits
  • Outline the nine steps in the Prioritized Action Plan

Police Executive Research Forum

The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is an independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. Since its founding in 1976, PERF has identified best practices on fundamental issues such as reducing police use of force; developing community policing and problem-oriented policing; using technologies to deliver police services to the community; and evaluating crime reduction strategies.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responsible for keeping people safe on America’s roadways. Through enforcing vehicle performance standards and partnerships with state and local governments, NHTSA reduces deaths, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes.