A Longitudinal Examination of Officer Deaths from Vehicle Pursuits

Abstract

Little research has examined the changing dangerousness of police high-speed pursuits over time, especially with regard to the safety of the officer. Using data from all pursuit-related officer deaths in the USA between 1960 and 2011, this study tested the hypothesis that the officer death rate has been decreasing. Least-squares lines were calculated through the data point of each year to estimate trends in officer death rates over time. The findings revealed that the death rate for officers directly involved in pursuits has decreased steadily, as has the death rate for officers manning roadblocks. The death rate for officers deploying spike strips or travelling to assist in the pursuit, however, has been steadily increasing. The findings suggest further development of pursuit policies to address these issues.