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OLR Bill Analysis
HB 7074
AN ACT CONCERNING THE UNIFORM STATE -WIDE POLICE
PURSUIT POLICY.
SUMMARY
This bill modifies the statutory parameters for the uniform statewide
police pursuit policy, including by requiring that the policy allow
pursuits when an officer believes a moving vehicle’s occupant
committed a felony (i.e. an offense for which a person may be sentenced
to a term of imprisonment that is more than one year).
Existing law requires the Department of Emergency Services and
Public Protection (DESPP) commissioner to adopt a uniform statewide
police pursuit policy in conjunction with the chief state’s attorney, the
Police Officer Standards and Training Council, the Connecticut Police
Chiefs Association, and the Connecticut Coalition of Police and
Correctional Officers. By regulation, this policy is the minimum
standard for all police pursuits in Connecticut, and individual police
units may adopt additional requirements as long as they do not conflict
with the uniform policy (Conn. Agencies Regs., § 14-283a-1).
Under current law, the policy must specify the conditions under
which a police officer may engage and discontinue a pursuit. The policy
adopted in 2021, among other things, (1) permits engaging in a pursuit
only if an officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that a vehicle
occupant committed or is attempting a violent crime or there are exigent
circumstances that warrant timely apprehension of the suspect and (2)
specifically states that non-violent felonies and misdemeanors do not
justify a pursuit without exigent circumstances.
This bill instead requires the uniform statewide police pursuit policy
to specify (1) that a police officer may engage in a pursuit when the
officer believes a suspect committed a felony and (2) the factors a police 2025HB-07074-R000406-BA.DOCX
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officer may consider when deciding whether to engage or discontinue a
pursuit.
Existing law requires the DESPP commissioner, in conjunction with
the entities listed above, to adopt regulations once every five years to
update the policy. The bill specifies that the policy must next be updated
by January 1, 2027.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Under the bill, the policy must specify the factors a police officer may
consider when deciding to engage or discontinue pursuit. Factors that
may be considered in both instances must include:
1. the protection of the public;
2. the known or suspected offense;
3. the apparent need for immediate apprehension; and
4. risks to police officers, motorists, and the public.
As under existing law, for engaging in pursuits, the factors must also
include alternative measures for apprehending occupants in moving
vehicles or to impede the vehicle’s movement. For discontinuing them,
the bill also includes the following factors an officer may consider:
vehicular and pedestrian traffic conditions, speeds, volume, and safety;
weather conditions; and whether the suspect is unknown or identified
and may be apprehended later.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Safety and Security Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 29 Nay 0 (03/18/2025)