What should officers do before engaging in a pursuit?

• A. Seek authorisation for their decision to engage in pursuit; if impracticable then officers may self-authorise
• B. They should wait for backup only
• C. They must never self-authorise
• D. They must obtain consent from the driver

Answer: (A)

Initiating a pursuit should be preceded by authorisation from supervision or control room. This ensures a controlled decision, with a proper risk assessment, resources, and coordination in place before chasing a vehicle. There is a crucial urgent-situation exception: if it’s impracticable to obtain authorisation due to the immediacy of the threat or offence, officers may self-authorise to start the pursuit, but they should report the reason and the circumstances to control as soon as possible and be ready to justify their actions later. Waiting for backup isn’t a universal prerequisite for every pursuit, and the policy recognises that immediate action can be necessary. It’s not correct to say officers must never self-authorise, because urgency can require it. Consent from the driver isn’t a factor in deciding to pursue—the decision rests with police, not with obtaining agreement from the fleeing driver.