Posted: 9/7/2008 5:23:13 PM EDT
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I am not trying to slam folks who are legally riding their bicycles, but you all may have need to come in contact with a suspect riding a bicycle- who needs to be stopped. How do you conduct the stop? 1- Assume the suspect riding away from your vehicle, same direction, and wanted for a freshly done felony. He refuses orders to stop and the chase is on. A) Drive up behind him, to tap his rear wheel, the bumper catches the wheel and forces the bike to crash to the ground right now. Of course the suspect goes to the ground hard and injured. B) Drive just to the left side of the suspect and force him to slow by allowing the front fender to squeeze him towards the curb, closing off his ability to keep fleeing.... C) Drive ahead of the suspect and turn sharp in front of him, forcing him to crash/stop.... D) Follow the suspect at a safe distance until he dumps the bike and it turns into a foot chase.... I am asking because I have used/seen each of these tactics, knowing they each have plus/minus sides. What do you do that works? Once upon a time: Had a suspect on bike, 2:00 AM in rough neighborhood, almost hit the patrol car when he ran a red light. He looked back with the old "oh shit" face and got on the pedal speed. Figured that due to the late hour (unusual for bike rider in the area), suspect in gang area, suspect dressed in local gangmember attire, and had a good reason to cite him for a traffic violation- the chase began. Drove the car up behind him and he refused repeated orders to stop, began to bike ride faster and was looking around as if to find an escape path. Suspect almost rear ended a parked vehicle and jumped off the bike, holding his right hand in his right rear pants pocket. Foot chase begins as suspect runs up a dark driveway, wrapping his hand around the grips of a small handgun from within his pocket. Knowing he is drawing a gun, we go to cover beside parked cars- just as suspect gets his gun out and fires a round towards us. No clear target in darkness in the heavy populated residential area (up some unlucky guy's driveway). We got assisting units to contain the area, but a search came up dry. No one shot and a found bike to go along with the ADW report listing us as victims. 
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Works in theory, but not in reality. He can easily cycle into areas where a Cruiser cannot. Back alleys, sidewalks, pedestrian only paths, etc. are just a few places where he can lose a cruiser. You must effect the stop while you are able to lest he find his way into said inaccessible areas. The issue at hand here, especially in light of the prevalence of cameras/video, is how to effect the stop without upsetting the BS politically correct libtards. Only thing I can think of is to drive ahead of him and cut him off, thus making him decide whether he wants to crash into your cruiser. If you do it right, and give him little to no time to adjust, he'll slam right into you..  |
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E) Accelerate toward him with my door held open, striking the bike. I wouldn't want to pull alongside or in front of a suspect, especially in your situation where he ended up being armed. I'd also rather not drag it out, following him until he splits lanes between a bunch of stopped cars you can't pursue through. Safest bet for both is to gently wreck him. |
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A- "Tapping" the bike with a Crown Vic is setting yourself up to run his felonious backside over. Which will result in some public defender making a name for himself and the Rev. Jackson knocking at your door. Be prepared to sign over the deed to your house and your pension in a lawsuit. B- Putting the squeeze on him seems like the best of your choices given, but puts you beside him instead of behind him. C- Cutting him off. Just articulate in the report that you stopped your vehicle giving him enough room to stop and it's his fault he is now missing his front teeth. Actually used this one on a foot runner, he 180'd and...it's a long story. D- Following till he's tired, stuck, or bails is the safest bet but also the suckiest. You are dependent on him to call the next shots (sometimes literally). By no means would i carry it out on the average joe that splits on his bike, there has to be some solid articulable (spell?) reasons, like your felony example given. |
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Please keep the ideas flowing. I hope everyone understands that when the suspect raises the stakes by pulling a weapon, all bets are off- running him down and shooting him are the same thing; deadly force to protect your life. Once upon a time, I had a couple juveniles riding a bicycle, one seated and one sitting on the handlebars. The juvie on the handlebars had a jacket covering his hands and lap. They looked like they were up to no good, and pulled the car behind them. They turned in a circle to get behind our car and I turned again to keep them in front of the unit. (Ended up doing circles in the middle of the street) The chase began and the juvie on the handlebars jumped off the bike carrying a rifle. Gave my partner a good view (he kept his gun pointed at the running juvie) of the suspect if he tried to turn to engage, but the juvie ran to a nearby gated property, dropping the rifle before climbing over a fence. We caught him on the other side of the yard and recovered the rifle. He didn't get shot because he never looked back (seeking to aim at us) or tried to point the rifle in our direction; he was just running to get away- not get it on with us. So the following tactic worked that time. Keep your ideas coming. |
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There really is no good way to do a felony bicycle stop as far as I can tell. Ramming him could be construed as excessive force, which may not be what you meant to apply. Going alongside or in front of him opens you up for a perfect shot on you by the offender. Following him continually allows him the chance to take the bike where the car can't go. Tough choice.... |
Probably one of the better answers. I just can't see ramming a bicycle going in ANYONE's favor unless he's already shooting. Our neighboring agency was chasing a guy on a bike (following catching him in a burglary in progress) and they drove up next to him and pepper sprayed him. He fell off the bike, and they caught him in a foot pursuit a bit later. |
I don't believe that. If he tensed up he would lose balance and topple over. That would be bad ass though, be like jousting of the new age! |
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Subject refused to stop for my unmarked with lights/sirens and multiple verbal orders to stop. He was out in less than 30 day. |
I'm going to call 
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You can't pursue in NJ?!?! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot |
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The AG guide lines in NJ are very strict regarding a pursuit involving a vehicle. More specifically car pursuits. Once you put out on the radio that you are in PURSUIT you will generally be ordered to terminate unless it involves a shooting, car jacking, bank robbery, kidnapping or sexual assault. Only two police vehicles can pursue. You can not set up a road block unless you provide a way around it as an option for the fleeing subject. You cannot fire at a moving vehicle to stop it. No PIT maneuvers. No spike strips. If you get pulled over for a traffic violation and decide not to stop but instead drive away at a high rate of speed – I can not PURSUE. I might follow you at a high rate of speed, but if you don’t want to stop there is not much I can do at that time. I have been told if you do engage in a pursuit the paper work you have to fill out is endless. I love watching police video from down south of the Sheriff shooting out tires or doing a PIT maneuver. |