Local officials discuss police pursuit procedures and public safety

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - A pursuit in San Bernardino county on Monday resulted in the death of an officer and injury of a bystander, a reminder of how dangerous high-speed pursuits can be.

Nearly 12,000 police pursuits were reported in California in 2022, according to the most recent data available. More than 400 bystanders were injured because of those chases. Of the 34 people who died, five were uninvolved bystanders.

CHP Officer David Torres says his department is working to minimize the potential risks.

"Our officers are trained quarterly on safety, pursuit policy, so what we try to do out there is to make sure that the public is safe so we like to utilize our aircraft so if an officer is able to pull from the pursuit, we have the aircraft instead.” 

David Torres, Indio CHP PIO

He says before initiating a pursuit, officers consider:

• Severity of the offense
• Need for immediate apprehension
• Overall risks involved

“For officers, the basic rule for them is they may only use this lethal force, the high speed chase or the weapon to prevent imminent threat to others and that becomes difficult to judge."

Walter Clark, attorney

Officials advise drivers to remain vigilant on the road. If you see or hear sirens, always make sure to merge out of harms way.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.