HB 613

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to police pursuits of fleeing vehicles;
3	requiring the Criminal Justice Standards and Training
4	Commission to establish a model policy governing the
5	pursuit of fleeing vehicles by law enforcement officers;
6	establishing model policy guidelines; requiring state and
7	local law enforcement agencies to adopt policies for
8	vehicle pursuits; requiring officer training in vehicle-
9	pursuit policies; providing a penalty; providing an
10	effective date.
11
12	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14	Section 1.  (1)  By July 1, 2007, the Criminal Justice
15	Standards and Training Commission within the Department of Law
16	Enforcement shall adopt a model policy governing the conduct of
17	law enforcement officers who are pursuing a vehicle that is
18	fleeing a law enforcement officer. The commission shall consider
19	comments from the public when adopting the policy. The model
20	policy shall, at a minimum, contain the following components:
21	(a)  A statement describing that the philosophy of the
22	model policy is that the safety of persons affected by a vehicle
23	pursuit is of primary importance. It must also balance the risks
24	of a vehicle pursuit to the public and law enforcement officers
25	with the consequences of the failure to pursue such vehicle.
26	(b)  The factors to consider before initiating or
27	terminating a vehicle pursuit and the standards for determining
28	whether to initiate or terminate a vehicle pursuit.
29	(c)  The procedures, tactics, and technologies used during
30	vehicle pursuits.
31	(d)  The responsibilities of the pursuing officers, the
32	officers supervising the pursuit, the dispatcher, and air
33	support personnel.
34	(e)  The procedures governing interjurisdictional pursuits.
35	(f)  The procedures governing the care of any person
36	injured during the pursuit.
37	(g)  The contents of pursuit reports.
38	(h)  The procedures used to evaluate each pursuit.
39	(2)  Each state and local law enforcement agency must:
40	(a)  Establish a written policy governing the conduct of
41	the agency's law enforcement officers who pursue a fleeing
42	vehicle. The policy must, at a minimum, comply with the
43	requirements of the model pursuit policy adopted by the
44	commission and must consider the public comments and any
45	technology for pursuit vehicles which is available.
46	(b)  Certify annually to the commission that it has adopted
47	a written policy in compliance with the model pursuit policy.
48	(3)  The board shall assist each state and local law
49	enforcement agency in developing and implementing pursuit
50	policies.
51	(4)(a)  By July 1, 2007, the commission shall prepare
52	learning objectives for instructing law enforcement officers in
53	emergency vehicle operations and in the conduct of vehicle
54	pursuits. The course shall consist of at least 7 hours of
55	classroom and skills-based training.
56	(b)  A person who has not received the training required by
57	this section may not take any examination for licensure as a law
58	enforcement officer on or after July 1, 2007.
59	(5)  Each state and local law enforcement agency shall
60	provide in-service training in emergency vehicle operations and
61	in the conduct of vehicle pursuits to all law enforcement
62	officers employed by the agency who may be involved in a vehicle
63	pursuit, based on the officers' responsibilities. The training
64	must comply with learning objectives approved by the commission
65	and shall consist of at least 8 hours of classroom and skills-
66	based training every 3 years.
67	(6)  The commission may impose licensing sanctions and seek
68	injunctive relief for the failure of an agency to comply with
69	the requirements of this act.
70	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.