Utah Sheriff Puts Brakes On Pursuits

West Valley City police officers were working DUI shifts last Thursday night when one of them spotted someone he thought was driving under the influence.

The detective tried to stop the vehicle, but the 20-year-old driver took off, leading police on a chase that reached speeds of 70 mph.

After a short chase, the 20-year-old ran a red light and was involved in an accident with two other vehicles, causing injuries to occupants of the other cars.

It turned out that police would have more reasons to stop the driver than just the suspected DUI: The car the man was driving had been stolen, and officers say they uncovered evidence of identity theft.

But, under the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office new pursuit policy, deputies would not be allowed to chase that 20-year-old under the same circumstances in their jurisdiction.

Since June 1, deputies can only begin vehicular pursuits if a violent felony, such as a homicide or rape, has occurred, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Jaroscak.

The sheriff's office joins several other agencies in Salt Lake County that have adopted similar policies -- though not every agency has signed onto it. The move also comes as police departments in the valley have discussed a multi-jurisdictional pursuit policy.

Capt. Tracy Tingey of the South Salt Lake Police Department, which also only pursues someone wanted for or suspected of committing a violent felony, said he was glad to see other police agencies falling in line with the policy. Police agencies can still call off a chase if the conditions are deemed too dangerous.

Tingey said he would rather have someone who has either committed a property crime or a nonviolent offense get away than put innocent people or police officers at risk.

Police chases are "not safe," he said. "And they have their place."

A study by the Washington state-based Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, found that each year from 1994 to 2002, 260 to 325 police pursuits in the United States ended with a fatality. Innocent people, not being chased by police, were among nearly one third of those killed.

But, West Valley City police Captain Steve Sandquist said that most of his department's pursuits do not end in a crash.

His department allows officers to chase people if they flee, and "we feel like we've got a good policy," Sandquist said. It is similar to the Utah Highway Patrol's pursuit policy.

West Valley City police cancel their pursuits regularly, but officers don't know who they have lost when they let their target get away, Sandquist said.

Typically, officers uncover more than just the traffic violation that officers initially observed when they pull over a driver that has tried to elude them.

"People run for a reason," Sandquist said.

jhill@sltrib.com