1.               PURPOSE

 

To establish guidelines in the use of tire deflation devices when terminating or preventing the movement of a vehicle.

 

2.               POLICY

 

The Atlanta Police Department is committed to the use of methods that have a reduced chance of injuring persons while achieving a desired law enforcement result.  Therefore, tire deflation devices may be used to aid in terminating and preventing vehicle movement.

 

Tire deflation devices must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, Departmental training, Departmental policy and the directions of supervisory personnel.

 

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

 

3.1              Section commanders will be responsible for accounting for the City-issued tire deflation devices and maintaining a file copy of each documented use of the tire deflation device.

 

3.2              The Training Section commander is responsible for ensuring that a suitable instructor is trained in the use of the City-issued tire deflation device.  The Training Section commander is responsible for approving the applicable lesson plan and any changes to the lesson plan.

 

3.3              Sworn supervisors are responsible for monitoring the use of the tire deflation device by their subordinates, ensuring that their subordinates are in compliance with this directive, and taking immediate corrective action when necessary. 

 

3.4              All sworn employees are responsible for properly using and maintaining their City-issued tire deflation devices.

 

3.5              The Special Operations Section is responsible for the storage, issuance, inventory, documentation, and replacement of City-issued tire deflation devices.

 

4.               ACTION

 

4.1              Sworn employees will be allowed to carry and use a tire deflation device only after they have been successfully trained in the use of a tire deflation device.  The training must be conducted under the auspices of the Department’s Training Academy.  No other training will satisfy this requirement.

 

4.1.1           Sworn employees are prohibited from carrying and using any other tire deflation device that has not been approved for use or issued by the Department.

 

4.2              Sworn employees will be justified in using a tire deflation device when no other available option would be as safe and effective in terminating or preventing the movement of a vehicle.

 

4.3              Modification or alterations of the City-issued tire deflation device are prohibited, unless approved by the Chief of Police, based on a recommendation by the Training Academy’s commander.

 

4.4              No sworn employee will be issued a tire deflation device or be allowed to use a tire deflation device, unless he or she has successfully completed the basic training course that has been approved by the Training Academy’s commander.

 

4.5              The Use of a Tire Deflation Device

 

4.5.1           Tire deflation devices should be used on vehicles with four or more tires. 

 

4.5.2           Tire deflation devices are not effective on the tires of heavy commercial vehicles and will not be deployed when involved with these types of vehicles. 

 

4.5.3           Tire deflation devices will not be used on any two or three-wheeled vehicle, including four wheeled all terrain vehicles.

 

4.5.4           Officer and citizen safety will be the prime consideration when deploying the tire deflation device.  If attempts to deploy the tire deflation device compromise safety, they will not be utilized.

 

4.5.5           Tire deflation devices will be positioned to minimize the ability of the suspect vehicle to avoid or evade the device.

 

4.5.6           Tire deflation devices will be used in a single unit or in combination of two or more units depending on the width of the roadway to be covered and available time to deploy them.  When deployed as multiple units, the tire deflation device will be deployed as recommended by the manufacturer.

 

4.5.7           Tire deflation devices will not be deployed within 300 feet of any major intersection.

 

4.5.8           Tire deflation devices should only be deployed on hard roadway surfaces, as they are less effective otherwise.  Additionally, tire deflation devices should not be used in locations where specific geographic features (sharp curves, steep embankments, etc.) would increase risk to the officer or the public.

 

4.5.9           Tire deflation devices  may be utilized only after supervisory approval.
 

4.5.10         Communications radio dispatchers must notify all units of the location of the deployed tire deflation devices.

 

4.6              It is imperative that all officers involved are aware of the exact location of deployed devices, so they can slow down in time to allow the removal of the device after the suspect vehicle crosses it.  Measures will be taken to divert other traffic from the area to prevent unnecessary damage to other vehicles.

 

4.7              The tire deflation device should be removed immediately after the target vehicle crosses it.  The suspect vehicle will be slowing and officers should be prepared to take evasive action to avoid contact with the suspect vehicle. 

 

4.8              The deploying officer should park a patrol vehicle near the place of deployment and stand 10 to 20 feet in the front of the patrol vehicle when deploying the tire deflation device.  If the patrol unit is facing toward the pursuit, the officer should then position him/herself 10 to 20 feet to the rear of the unit.

 

4.8.1           The deploying officer, time permitting, will place the tire deflation device perpendicular to the roadway on the shoulder and un-reel the cord across the roadway to a position of safety.  If time does not permit, the tire deflation device should be tossed in front of the suspect vehicle
 

4.8.2           The officer must NOT attach the reel to himself or herself or wrap the line around his/her hand. 

 

4.9              If the tire deflation device is removed from the trunk of the officer’s vehicle, the officer will close the trunk lid so as not to block the visibility of the emergency lights.

 

4.9.1           Officers will refrain from entering traffic lanes to deploy the tire deflation device.

 

4.10            Inter-Jurisdictional Pursuits

 

4.10.1         Tire deflation devices are prohibited during a pursuit involving more than one agency.

 

4.10.2         The supervisor in charge will authorize the use of the tire deflation device.

 

4.11            Tire deflation devices can be used on both stationary (static application) and moving (dynamic application) vehicles.

 

4.12            Officers will document the use of tire deflation devices in their incident reports or the supplement to an existing incident report.  The incident report should contain justification for using the tire deflation device, the outcome, the serial number of the device, information on damaged property, and any injuries.

 

4.13            When a tire deflation device is successfully or unsuccessfully used, a sworn supervisor will respond to the deployment scene.  The supervisor will take charge of the scene and conduct an investigation into the sworn employee’s use of a tire deflation device.  The sworn supervisor’s investigative findings will be made available in writing and kept on file in SOS for three years.

 

4.13.1         To ensure the effectiveness and proper use of tire deflation devices, the Special Operations Section commander will be responsible for conducting an annual analysis of the device usage.  The written annual analysis of tire deflation device will be forwarded to the Chief of Police, the Field Operations Division, the Training Academy, and Planning and Research/Accreditation Unit.

  

4.14            Replacement

 

4.14.1         The officer will go to the Special Operations Section to replace the damaged or lost

                  tire deflation device.

 

4.14.2         The officer must provide SOS with a copy of the APD Incident Report form.

 

4.14.3         In the case of a damaged tire deflation device, the officer will return the damaged device to SOS before receiving a replacement.

 

4.14.4         The officer’s supervisor will forward a copy of the APD Incident Report to the section commander, the division commander, the Planning and Research Unit, and the Training Academy.

 

5.               DEFINITIONS

 

5.1              Dynamic Application: The use of a tire deflation device that is characterized by an active placement of the device in close spatial and temporal proximity to its actual or intended use.

 

5.2              Inter-Jurisdictional Pursuit Policy – A memorandum of understanding governing the inter-jurisdictional vehicle pursuits of the participating law enforcement agencies in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

 

5.3              Static Application:  The use of a tire deflation device that is characterized by a fixed, predetermined, or stationary placement of the device well in advance of its actual or intended use.

 

5.4              Tire Deflation Device: A device that is designed to puncture the pneumatic tire(s) of a vehicle that will result in the controlled deflation of the affected tire(s).

 

6.               CANCELLATIONS

 

                  APD.SOP.4011 “Use of Tire Deflation Devices”, issued December 1, 2007

 

7.               REFERENCES

 

                  APD.SOP.3050 “Pursuit Policy”

                  APD.SOP.4010 “Traffic”

                  APD.SOP.5192 “Auto Theft Task Force”

                 

                  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) 5th Edition Standards 1.3.2, 1.3.4, 41.2.2, 41.2.3. 61.1.1, 61.1.2, 61.1.3, 61.1.4, 61.1.5, 61.1.6, 61.1.7, 61.1.8, 61.1.9, 61.1.10, 61.1.11, 61.1.12, 61.1.13, 61.2.1, 61.2.2, 61.2.3, 61.2.4, 61.3.1, 61.3.2, 61.3.3, 61.3.6, 61.4.1, 61.4.3, 61.4.4.

 

                  The 2003 Metropolitan Atlanta Inter-Jurisdictional Pursuit Policy Memorandum of Understanding