COPS REVISE CHASE POLICY

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the Police ’ s refreshed fleeing driver policy , which came into effect at the end of May , strikes a balance between the safety of all road users and ensuring offenders are held to account . While the NZ Police have stopped short of calling open season on all fleeing motorists , it signals that the police are acknowledging the negative outcomes of the last policy change which occurred in December 2020 . Since that last policy change , there has been a significant increase in fleeing driver events and equally a significant decrease in the proportion of offenders identified . “ The safety of our officers , the fleeing driver and other occupants , and the public is of the utmost importance . Although equally significant is the need to hold offenders to account for their actions . “ The amendments to the fleeing driver policy bring Police back to a more balanced position in these volatile , unpredictable , and high-risk events . “ The feedback we ’ ve collated from staff and communities calls for a different balance from the previous changes made in December 2020 . Since then , offenders have become more brazen and are taking more risks in their driving behaviour ,” Commissioner Coster says . The revised policy includes the new Fleeing Driver Framework , which is a decision support tool to assist staff with determining if the immediate risk of safety posed by the fleeing driver justifies a pursuit or not . It factors in the threat posed by the driver / occupant ( s ), or on the seriousness of an offence suspected to have been committed by them , and the risk of them committing ongoing offending , harm , or victimisation . “ The clarity our staff will obtain from the refreshed policy enables Police to address these trends when drivers refuse to pull over when instructed , while acknowledging that risk and safety of all involved must always come first .” So , watch out for the flashing red and blues , you could be seeing more of them on a road near you .