You asked for information on high-speed police pursuits in Connecticut and other states, including (1) the number of pursuits, (2) the number and severity of injuries, (3) the number of fatalities, (4) the amount of property damage, and (5) associated medical and hospital costs.

SUMMARY

This report provides the best available information on Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and California for the two most recent years for which information is available. California and Pennsylvania, but not Connecticut, require police departments to report pursuit data to a state agency, which must compile the data and complete annual reports.

Connecticut state police officers engaged in 50 pursuits in 2006 and 79 in 2007. There were three pursuit-related injuries in 2006 and 13 in 2007. The 31 local police departments in our survey reported 236 pursuits in 2007 and 2008. These resulted in 18 injuries. Seven departments reported property damage. This ranged from $500.00 to $25,000.00. There was no fatality reported in 2006 or 2007 for the State Police or 31 police departments.

Pennsylvania police were involved in 2,115 pursuits in 2006 and 1,931 in 2007. In 2006, there were 12 pursuit-related fatalities, and 218 pursuits that resulted in injuries to 255 people. In 2007, there were 13 pursuit-related fatalities, and 218 pursuits that resulted in injuries to 248 people. The Pennsylvania State Police estimates pursuit-related property damage for 2006 at $2,260,455 and for 2007 at $2,653,497.

California police officers were involved in 7,120 police pursuits in 2007, and 5,571 pursuits in 2008, according to California Highway Patrol data. In 2007, there were 1,202 pursuit-related injuries and 32 fatalities. In 2008, there were 805 injuries and 19 fatalities. The department does not maintain data on pursuit-related property damage.

None of the states maintain information on medical and hospital costs as they pertain to police pursuits.

CONNECTICUT

By law, a driver may not increase a vehicle's speed to escape apprehension by a police officer in a vehicle using an audible signal device or flashing or revolving lights (CGS § 14-223(b)). The law requires the public safety commissioner to adopt a statewide police pursuit policy for Connecticut police departments (CGS § 14-283a). But it does not require police to maintain or report pursuit data. The information on Connecticut in this report is based on State Police reports (Attachment 1) and a January 2009 OLR survey of 70 local police departments (Attachment 2). Thirty-one departments responded to the survey.

State Police

Table 1 shows that state police officers engaged in 50 pursuits in 2006 and 79 in 2007. There were three pursuit-related injuries in 2006 and 13 in 2007.

Table 1: Connecticut State Police Pursuit Data,

2006 and 2007

Source: Department of Public Safety Connecticut State Police 2007 Vehicle Pursuit Report

Of the 13 injuries in 2007, three were to state police officers and 10 to violators. The injuries were sustained as a direct result of motor vehicle collisions or while the officers were apprehending violators (i.e., K-9 bites, falls, etc.).

In 2007, 19 (24%) pursuits resulted in collisions—16 accidental and three in which the violator intentionally collided with the state police officer. On one occasion, vehicles that were not involved in the original pursuit were involved in a collision during the pursuit.

The State Police does not maintain data on hospital and medical costs related to pursuits.

Connecticut Towns

Table 2 shows pursuit data from the towns that responded to the survey. Because most of the towns did not break down the data by year, the information for both years is combined.

Of the 31 towns, seven reported pursuit-related injuries. East Hartford reported the most (6) followed by Norwalk (5). Seven towns reported property damage; sixteen reported no damage, and eight indicated that the information was either unknown or unavailable. There were no pursuit-related deaths in any of the towns in the two-year period. None of the towns maintain data on medical and hospital costs.

Table 2: Police Pursuits Statistics for Select Connecticut Towns,

2007 and 2008 (N=31)

*Source: OLR survey, January 2009

Three towns—Clinton, East Hartford, and Glastonbury—provided details on the injuries. In Clinton, a police officer was injured when the offender struck his police vehicle head on, breaking the officer's neck. The second injury was to a motorist struck by a violator. The violator struck other motorists before the pursuit began, but Clinton did not add those injuries to the total it reported.

Of the six injuries in East Hartford, four were from tasers, one by a baton strike, and one was a K-9 bite. All of the injuries were to violators.

In the Glastonbury incident, the violator broke his arm when he lost control of his vehicle and it rolled over.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania law requires police departments to report all vehicle pursuits to the Pennsylvania State Police (75 Pa. Stat. Ann. Tit. § 6343). The report must include data on injuries, property damage, and fatalities. The State Police must prepare and submit annual pursuit data reports based on the statewide data to various legislative committees, the Department of Transportation, the Attorney General's Office, and contributing police departments. The report must include the total number and percentage of pursuits involving accidents, injuries, and deaths (75 Pa. Stat. Ann. Tit. § 6344).

Table 3 shows the number of pursuits, pursuits resulting in injuries, and pursuit-related deaths in Pennsylvania during 2006 and 2007.

Table 3: Pennsylvania Police Pursuit Data,

2006 and 2007

*Source: 2006 and 2007 Pennsylvania Police pursuit reports

In the 218 incidents resulting injuries in 2006, 255 people were injured. Of these, 160 were violators (73.39%), 51 (23.39%) were police officers, and 44 (16.4%) were bystanders. In the 218 incidents resulting in injuries in 2007, 248 people were injured. Of these, 173 (79.36%) were violators, 35 (16%) were police officers, and 40 (18.35%) were bystanders. All the people killed in the pursuits were violators.

The bureau estimates the total pursuit-related property damage for 2006 at $2,260,455, broken down as follows:

1. violator vehicle, $1,182,407;

2. police vehicle, $313,188.00;

3. uninvolved persons' property, $764,860.00.

The bureau estimates the total property damage for 2007 at $2,653,497, broken down as follows:

1. violator vehicle, $1,433,854;

2. police vehicle, $408,890; and

3. uninvolved persons' property, $810,753.

CALIFORNIA

California law requires police departments to report all vehicle pursuits to the California Highway Patrol for entry in a state database. The report must include collision, injury, and fatality statistics. The Highway Patrol must submit to the legislature annual reports of the number of (1) vehicle pursuits, (2) vehicle pursuits that resulted in a collision in which a third-party died or was injured, and (3) uninvolved third parties injured or killed as a result of collisions (Cal. Vehicle Code § 14602.1). The law does not require and the departments do not report information on property damage or medical and hospital expenses.

In 2007, California police reported 7,120 pursuits. Of these, 1,717 resulted in collisions, resulting in 32 fatalities and 1,202 pursuit-related injuries. In 2008, California police were involved in 5,571 pursuits. Of these, 1,478 ended in collisions, resulting in 805 injuries and 19 deaths. Table 4 shows the number of pursuits and the injuries and deaths from collisions (Table 4).

Table 4: California Police Pursuit Data

2007 and 2008**

*Source: 2007 and 2008 California Statewide Data Summary Report on Police pursuits

** The injuries and deaths are those resulting directly from collisions

The 32 deaths in 2007 included 26 violators, one police officer, and five bystanders. The 1,202 injuries included 76 police officers and 285 bystanders. The 19 people who died in 2008 were violators. The 805 injured included 63 police officers and 195 bystanders.

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