What is NZ's police pursuit policy regarding vehicles?

**inazuma1200** · 5th January 2014, 01:33

Keep in mind this is purely hypothetical NO IM NOT GOING TO RUN FROM THE POLICE im just curious.
What are the laws around police pursuing motorcycles/any vehicle? Lets say they tried to pull over a motorcycle and they ran, what speed can they chase them to? can they hit someone off their motorcycle? what restrictions do they have? at what point would they have to call off the pursuit? I have tried google but couldnt really find anything

any links or info is helpful thanks

Just to mention once again NO im not going to run from the police that isnt why im asking :P

**skippa1** · 5th January 2014, 07:30

Originally Posted by inazuma1200

Keep in mind this is purely hypothetical NO IM NOT GOING TO RUN FROM THE POLICE im just curious.
What are the laws around police pursuing motorcycles/any vehicle? Lets say they tried to pull over a motorcycle and they ran, what speed can they chase them to? can they hit someone off their motorcycle? what restrictions do they have? at what point would they have to call off the pursuit? I have tried google but couldnt really find anything

any links or info is helpful thanks

Just to mention once again NO im not going to run from the police that isnt why im asking :P

Generally, they just call ahead and ask one of their colleagues to hook a u turn in front of the bike they are trying to stop

**Akzle** · 5th January 2014, 07:43

dont need to run. Just dont stop.
Popo frequently get in shit for when they run someone into a lamp post or ditch, but the media line is always 'we terminated the pursuit 2 minutes before they died'

**haydes55** · 5th January 2014, 07:48

This following post is what I think and not actual fact.

Police will call off a pursuit if it is deemed unsafe, a rider going 180km/h on country roads would be unsafe, and 100km/h in town would be unsafe etc.

No they wouldn't knock a rider off. A police officer would have to look at the outcome, is it worth putting a rider in hospital or worse worth giving them a $150 ticket? Chances are, a motorbike crashing on a police pursuit would cause injury. Any injury on a police pursuit obviously negates the purpose of stopping an uncrashed motorbike to prevent injuries

A police officer will try remain in sight and get the license plate.

I'm not sure if police are even allowed to use spike strips on bikes because of the injuries it could cause.

**tigertim20** · 5th January 2014, 08:08

you cant outrun radio!!

**Damantis** · 5th January 2014, 10:06

I'm sure anyone who rides fast now and then has the thought of running cross their mind. Let's be honest about it. It's exciting and you's have a great story to tell. Only the inconsiderate idiots or wanted criminals amongst us probably seriously consider it though. Exceed the speed limit by more than 40kph and you are walking for a month while you wait for a hearing to determine how much longer you'll lose your license for. Solution - stay less than 40 below the posted limit.

I'm pretty sure pursuits are "called off" when the person fleeing looks like they are likely to lose control or are putting other people at serious risk etc. That doesn't mean the police stop looking for you. It just means they flood the area with available units and recommence the pursuit when they spot you again. The bottom line is that it's not worth the risk. Who wants to be the guy on the news who killed a family to avoid a speeding ticket? Just pull over and take the punishment. They may even thank you for stopping.

**SMOKEU** · 5th January 2014, 10:16

Originally Posted by haydes55

Police will call off a pursuit if it is deemed unsafe, a rider going 180km/h on country roads would be unsafe, and 100km/h in town would be unsafe etc.

It's not so black and white. I've listened to many chases while I had my scanner, and the comms supervisor has to make the call based on speed, road conditions, traffic density etc. I've heard of chases getting to 140kmh in a 50 zone before being called off.

Originally Posted by Damantis

It just means they flood the area with available units and recommence the pursuit when they spot you again.

Not always. If the driver/rider being chased was operating their motor vehicle in a particularly dangerous manner, comms can order the nearby units not to recommence pursuit upon sighting the suspect again.

**Mo NZ** · 5th January 2014, 10:36

Of course it dose make a difference why the pursuit was initiated.
Depends on what you may be suspected of.
Top end I spose for instance somebody popping off shots at people with a firearm would get smashed off his bike at the first opportunity I would expect.
Lower end a random or slightly over speed traffic stop it would come down to the public risk and so forth.

You can bet on one thing though... You do a runner and you will be looked for and when located slapped with the biggest wet bus ticket you have ever imagined.

**DrunkenMistake** · 5th January 2014, 10:52

This post reminds me of one from a few years back,

Something to do with outrunning a police helicopter...

**Brett** · 5th January 2014, 10:53

Hard to out run a chopper.

**scumdog** · 5th January 2014, 11:00

Originally Posted by Brett

Hard to out run a chopper.

I'm presently awaiting the usual KB tsunami of clap-trap that follows a statement like that...

**Tazz** · 5th January 2014, 11:03

I was pondering this the other day when I glanced down and saw I was doing (an indicated) 117 behind a cop cruising up SH1

I've first hand seen a cop car pull out in front of a motorcyclist and put them into the front of their car (was on Moorhouse Ave a few years ago. Absolutely surreal), however I don't know why he was being chased (speeding, stabbed someone and on some drug fueled rage, changed lanes without indicating, who knows).

All I know is I wouldn't be counting on any rules and regulations to keep me safe if I decided to give Ratus a bit of a nostalgic work out. They're trying to stop you and once the red mist forms...

And I don't know about the speed part around the city. I know a dude who was in the back of a police vehicle (the ride along thing before signing up) doing 140km/h at times in a 50km/h area (Litchfield St in Chch) on the way to an AOS call out. Didn't see it with my own eyes but he's not the kind of man that bothers with bragging or any of that BS. AOS is a big deal here, so not having a whinge about it or anything