Who can initiate specialist pursuits?

• A. Only patrol supervisors
• B. By public reporting
• C. Initial or tactical phase drivers or control/communications room staff
• D. Police helicopter unit

Answer: (C)

Specialist pursuits are started by those who actively manage and monitor the pursuit as it unfolds. The driver involved in the pursuit during the initial phase can sense when the risk level requires escalation, and the supervisor in the tactical phase can approve that escalation and bring in additional resources. The control/communications room staff then monitor the situation, determine if the pursuit meets the criteria for specialist handling, and coordinate the deployment of those specialist resources (including air support if needed). This combination of the initial-phase driver, the tactical-phase supervisor, and control room personnel is what enables a specialist pursuit to be initiated. A member of the public can’t start it, and the helicopter unit is a resource deployed once initiation has occurred, not the initiator.