Hamden Revisits Police Pursuits

For Hamden Acting Police Chief John Cappiello, human life takes precedence over vehicles.

That’s why, he said, he and Mayor Curt Leng are proposing a new police pursuit policy to the Hamden Police Commission. The new policy would allow officers to pursue suspects only if they believe the person has committed or intends to commit a violent felony.

Under the town’s current policy, officers may pursue only those who are suspected of a felony, but not necessarily a violent one. Misdemeanors don’t count.

Hamden’s policy is already more restrictive than others in the state. In 2014, the town changed its policy from the state’s baseline, which is outlined by POST (Police Officer Standards and Training), to limit pursuits to felonies.

When the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 18 – 161 last year, requiring municipalities to submit data on pursuits to POST, Cappiello said he and others in the department decided it was time to change Hamden’s pursuit policy again.

“I’m not a fan of pursuits,” said Cappiello. ​“To me, the ends don’t justify the means.”

Cappiello said pursuits too frequently end up in tragedy, and the crimes are often not severe enough to justify the danger of a chase. In the last year, Hamden has had two fatalities that resulted from police chases — one in August, and one on New Year’s. In both cases, it was a passenger, and not the driver of the pursued car, who died.

Police officials over the years have also noted that officers can often lose their lives in high-speed chases. Or bystanders. But some cops and citizens complain that restricting chases lets lawbreakers get away toe easily.

According to Cappiello, Connecticut is currently experiencing an epidemic of car thefts by juveniles, many of which have resulted in chases.

A car theft usually does not involve a violent crime, Cappiello explained. ​“If you steal a car, is it worth a person’s life?”

He said that oftentimes, a teenager steals a car and ​“a life is lost because of a stupid lack of judgement.”

He added that even when police can pursue juveniles who steal cars, Connecticut’s laws regarding juveniles are not strict enough to make much of a difference even if the police are able to apprehend the young driver. 

According to a USA Today report from 2015, ​“nearly every day, someone is killed during a high-speed chase between police and a suspect.”

“I don’t want my officers to be a part of that, unless they really have to,” said Cappiello.

The new policy, he said, would prevent needless and dangerous pursuits. ​“I think it protects officers, I think it protects innocent citizens, and I think it protects the person committing the crime.”

Cappiello clarified that he’s ​“not saying we don’t chase criminals.” He said that the department would use every other means in its power to catch drivers who flee. In addition, the policy does allow officers to participate in pursuits that don’t involve violent felonies if the officer deems that the driver puts the public in danger, for example, in the case of a drunk driver, which is a misdemeanor and not a felony.

Pursuits are instances in which drivers maintain or increase their speed in order to avoid apprehension by the police.

New Haven’s Version

New Haven has had similar debates over the years and honed its chase policy as a result.

It pretty much makes the same distinction between violent and nonviolent felonies, with some more context. For instance, even in the case of a violent felony, an officer and a supervisor must determine that a chase would still have more potential to save lives than to cost lives.

“For example, we would/should pursue a vehicle known to have been involved in a drive-by shooting where people are shot or have been shot at (violent fleeing felony that could pose an immediate danger to the public), but would not pursue a vehicle for simply being stolen (larceny 2 is a felony, not always considered violent unless classified as a robbery car jacking with a weapon),” Lt. David Zannelli, who heads internal affairs explained in an email message.

“However, if it is rush hour on a Friday afternoon and the vehicle pursuit is proceeding towards a school at dismissal, the officer (or supervisor) may cancel the pursuit based on that fact. Officers are never disciplined for deciding that a vehicle pursuit is too dangerous for the public or themselves to engage in.”

Click here to read the department’s General Order 302, which details the policy on chases, including responsibilities for supervisors and shift commanders to monitor chases in progress and continually reevaluate the risks.

Plans For Vetting

The proposed Hamden policy must still be approved by the Hamden Police Commission before it goes into effect.

“I am very open to a new policy,” said Commission Chair Michael Iezzi. ​“I think that it is very important to develop a policy that would increase the safety of the public and of the officers as well. I believe that a pursuit should only occur when there is a life-threatening situation.”

Iezzi said he plans to hire an outside firm to advise the commission on the policy. The commission, he said, has hired outside firms to consult on other matters, for example for decisions regarding disciplining an officer, but never before for a new policy.

“Lives are at stake here, and I want to make sure this policy is looked upon very very stringently,” he said.

Hamden Police Union President Kevin Samperi said that ​“the updated policy is looking out for the best interest of the community and the police officers. Policies are evolving and we’re looking forward to seeing the results.”

He predict that officers will adapt to a new policy. ​“We’re trained to follow policies, and that’s how we police.”