New Statewide Policy on Vehicle Pursuits Starts January 1 in Indiana

A new policy on use of deadly force has also been adopted and will go into effect in 2024.

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INDIANAPOLIS – A new statewide policy on minimum standards for vehicle pursuits will go into effect at the start of the new year.

In November, the Law Enforcement Training Board (LETB) established the Uniform Statewide Policy on Minimum Standards for Vehicle Pursuits.

The policy must be incorporated into the policies, procedures, rules and/or general orders of all Indiana law enforcement agencies, offices, and departments no later than January 1, 2023.

As part of the new standards, a program to educate Indiana law enforcement officers on the vehicle pursuit policy prior to its effective date.

Under the policy, a pursuit should not begin, nor should it be continued, when the need for immediate apprehension is very low and the totality of risk to public safety is very high.

Officers shall consider the following prior to initiating, becoming involved, or continuing a pursuit:

• The violation the person is known to have committed, is wanted for or suspected of;
• Imminent danger to the public based on the totality of the circumstances;
• Time of day;
• Officer’s familiarity with the surroundings and population density;
• Potential danger if the offender is not apprehended immediately;
• Positive identification of the driver; and
• Other consideration, including but not limited to: vehicle and pedestrian traffic conditions, road conditions, visibility, terrain, speed and capability of the pursued vehicle, and limitations of emergency equipment and vehicles.

The LETB has also established a policy on use of deadly force, which takes effect January 1, 2024.

The policy must replace any agency’s deadly force by the effective date. The delay in the adoption of this policy will allow the LETB to develop a robust and detailed training program for law enforcement officers.

For more information on both policies, visit ILEA: Home (in.gov).