Stop Stick APD Patrol Procedures PDF

STOP STICK APD Patrol Procedures INTRODUCTION Stop Stick is APD’s Tire Deflation Device The department has ordered enough sets of Stop Sticks to outfit every car in the patrol fleet with the device OVERVIEW & NOMENCLATURE DEPLOYMENT OF STOP STICKS Stop Sticks training guidelines are meant to SUPPLEM...

STOP STICK APD Patrol Procedures INTRODUCTION Stop Stick is APD’s Tire Deflation Device The department has ordered enough sets of Stop Sticks to outfit every car in the patrol fleet with the device OVERVIEW & NOMENCLATURE DEPLOYMENT OF STOP STICKS Stop Sticks training guidelines are meant to SUPPLEMENT our APD Pursuit Policy APD Pursuit Policy - 214.6.2: Deployment of Tire Deflation Devices TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS OFFICER SAFETY is always the most important consideration when deploying any TDD Suspect’s actions can be unpredictable when they encounter TDD’s These situations can endanger you, other officers, the public, and the suspect TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Stop Stick is designed for a controlled release of air (20-30 seconds) Any kind of tire deflation can increase the possibility that the suspect may lose control of the vehicle and crash TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS NEVER deploy Stop Sticks if you believe the location or circumstances of the pursuit make it unsafe to do so LIMIT TRAFFIC on the roadway and ISOLATE the location where TDD’s are being deployed, if possible TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS NEVER deploy Stop Sticks with pedestrians in the immediate vicinity NEVER use Stop Sticks on vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS USE EXTREME CAUTION when pursuits reach EXCESSIVE SPEEDS or the suspect appears to be under the influence of DRUGS or ALCOHOL These factors may increase the risk of a suspect losing control of the vehicle TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AVOID deploying Stop Sticks on wet surfaces, gravel, or loose pavement These increase the risk of suspect losing control of the vehicle when tires are deflated Soft roadway surfaces may reduce the performance of the Stop Sticks and cause a failure to puncture tires TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Consider deploying Stop Sticks where the suspect has limited ability to avoid striking the device If deploying near an intersection, deploy Stop Sticks just BEFORE THE INTERSECTION to keep the suspect from turning away from the deployment location TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ALWAYS move to a safe location after deploying Stop Sticks The Cord Reel provides 80 feet of cord so Officer can move a safe distance away from the road and still deploy the TDD TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS DO NOT take unnecessary risks to RUSH a deployment or deploy TDD’s in a BAD LOCATION. EVERY APD patrol car will be equipped with Stop Sticks and another officer will be able to deploy in a better location TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS NEVER wrap the cord around any part of your body or gear DO NOT “yank” the cord to deploy Stop Sticks The excess cord has a tendency to get entangled in Officers duty gear TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Hold the cord LOW AGAINST THE ROAD while waiting for the suspect vehicle to approach Cords held at a higher angle tend to get caught in the undercarriage of passing vehicles and ripped from the officers hand This can cause failed deployments and possible injury TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Select a deployment location where you have either: A substantial piece of COVER from traffic OR can position yourself a SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE ROADWAY (20-30 feet minimum) AND have an ESCAPE ROUTE away from the roadway TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Position yourself so you can see oncoming traffic and observe the approaching suspect vehicle Broadcast your deployment location to pursuing units and deploy TDD’s in accordance with APD Policy 214.6.2/ Vehicle Pursuits: TDD’s TACTICAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS CLUSTER DEPLOYMENT- Several Officers can gather at the same location and deploy multiple Stop Sticks in a STAGGERED PATTERN to cover a multi-lane road STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE Stop Sticks will be installed in the underside of the trunk lid AVOID stacking items so high in the trunk that they may damage the Stop Sticks POST-DEPLOYMENT If the Stop Sticks were not struck Inspect them for damage and return to the trunk POST-DEPLOYMENT If the Stop Sticks were struck Carefully remove the damaged Stop Sticks from the sleeve. Inspect the sleeve and cord reel for damage. Replace damaged sleeves, reels, and Stop Sticks at your substation’s PCO. STOP STICK STOP STICK DEPLOYMENT PROFICIENCY TRAINING