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253 Departmental Order No. 509 Page 3 Ability of Driver - Training and prior pursuit experience; physical or emotional limitations such as fatigue; reduced psychomotor coordination or visual acuity due to illness or medication. Seriousness of the Violation A relatively minor infraction may not warrant initiation of the pursuit, while the known or reasonably suspected commission of a felony is more likely to justify pursuit. In assessing the seriousness of the violation, officers must rely only upon the facts known to them at the time rather than speculation as to what other crimes the violator may have committed. III O0~TI~U~%NOE OF PURSUITS Pursuit should be initiated and continued when the threat to the safety of officers and/or to members of the public is not out of proportion to the offense(s) involved. A reasonable belief that the fleeing suspect(s) represents a serious threat to public safety should they escape may warrant continuation of a pursuit under conditions which might result in discontinuation of a pursuit for a lesser violation. Officers are expected to use sound judgement in deciding whether or not the threat to safety of further pursuit outweighs the benefit to the public should the arrest be made. In exercising this discretion, officers must place the safety of the public ahead of the apprehension of a suspect. B. Pursuits shall be discontinued when: It is reasonable to believe that a serious hazard is present to the public and/or pursuing officer(s) which overshadows the need to arrest/identify the fleeing suspect. Hazards which might warrant discontinuation of a pursuit include, but are not limited to: volume of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic; speeds involved; time of day; weather and/or road conditions; and familiarity of involved officers with the area of pursuit.