R728-503-2. Definitions

(1) Terms in this rule are defined in Section 41-6a-102.

(2) In addition:

(a) "agency emergency pursuit policy" means the written principles by which a Utah individual public agency that operates authorized emergency pursuit vehicles is guided in the management of its affairs concerning whether to, and how to, engage and disengage in the pursuit of a suspect by vehicle.

(b) "authorized emergency pursuit vehicle" means law enforcement vehicle, either marked or unmarked, properly equipped with audible sirens and visual lights owned and operated by a public agency.

(c) "back-up unit" means each authorized emergency pursuit vehicle assisting the primary unit.

(d) "balance test" means that a law enforcement officer shall act as a reasonably prudent emergency vehicle operator in like circumstances while making an ongoing decision process to analyze the risk of initiating, continuing, and terminating pursuit given the following considerations:

(i) the need to apprehend a fugitive who presents a danger to others because the serious and violent nature of the crime for which the fugitive is sought or because the fugitive's driving presents a threat to the public safety that may outweigh the risks that a pursuit poses to others; and

(ii) the need to avoid pursuit if the threat of public or officer safety is greater than the need for immediately apprehending the suspect.

(e) "boxing-in" means a technique designed to stop a violator's vehicle by surrounding it with authorized emergency pursuit vehicles and then slowing all vehicles to a stop.

(f) "channelization" means a technique where objects are placed in the anticipated or actual path of a pursued vehicle which tend to alter the vehicle's intended direction of travel.

(g) "intervention techniques" means specific operational tactics including immobilization, channelization, ramming, boxing-in, roadblock procedures, tire deflation devices (spike strips, etc.) which are intended to disable fleeing vehicles or otherwise prevent further flight or escape.

(h) "paralleling" means participating in the pursuit by proceeding in the same direction and maintaining approximately the same speed while traveling on an alternate street or highway that parallels the pursuit route.

(i) "primary unit" means the authorized emergency pursuit vehicle that initiates a pursuit or assumes control of the pursuit as the lead vehicle or the first authorized emergency pursuit vehicle immediately behind the fleeing suspect.

(j) "supervisor" means a law enforcement officer who, by virtue of rank or assignment, is responsible for the direction or supervision of the activities of other law enforcement officers.