Vehicle Pursuit Statistics

POLICE TRANSPARENCY:
2022 VEHICULAR PURSUIT REPORT

Since vehicular pursuits create the potential in which officers, members of the public, and/or the suspect may be killed or seriously injured, pursuits shall only be initiated and continued in accordance with the provisions set forth by Division policy.

The decision to initiate a pursuit is a difficult one. The decision to terminate a pursuit is even more difficult. Professional judgment and common sense are the determining factors.

Additional Data & Resources

Part I Crime
Traffic Data
Demographic Data
Application of Force Report
Crime Alerts
Public Data
Vehicular Pursuit Policy
Personnel Demographics

Pursuits decreased significantly from 2021 to 2022.  However, the number of pursuits exceeded the previous four-year average of 60.25 pursuits per year. 

The modification of employer reporting requirements, due to changes in COVID protocols, has resulted in less remote work schedules and increased traffic volume. Traffic congestion is a possible factor in the decreased distance traveled during pursuits. The increased traffic volume limits pursuit speeds and evasion opportunities. 

Incident Occurrences & Location

During 2022, the Henrico County Police Division was involved in 70 individualized pursuits, as compared to 89 pursuits in 2021. The Police Division’s pursuit policy was modified July 28, 2022, to permit the closest unit to a pursuit to respond Code 3 to assist the primary unit, and whenever a second unit engaged in the pursuit, no other units are permitted to respond Code 3 unless authorized by a supervisor. Officers in the Patrol Central initiated 50.65% of the total pursuits for the Police Division in 2022. These pursuits were primarily along the Mechanicsville Turnpike, Laburnum Avenue, Azalea Avenue, and Brook Road corridors. The highest concentration of pursuits occurred along Laburnum Avenue, from Creighton Road to Carolina Avenue. Patrol South Officers engaged in 20.78% of the Division’s pursuits in the same period, primarily along the Nine Mile Road, Laburnum Avenue, and Airport Drive corridors. Patrol West Officers engaged in 28.57% of the pursuits. The pursuits were primarily along the West Broad Street corridor and I-64, from the Richmond City border to the Short Pump area.
Officers reported the 6 p.m. to midnight and noon to 6 p.m. time periods as the most prevalent times for a pursuit to be initiated, accounting for 81.69% (50.70% and 30.99% respectively) of all the reported pursuits. The average travel distance of pursuits initiated in 2022 was 2.66 miles from initiation to conclusion, a significant decline from the 4.9 miles the previous year. More than sixty percent (63.15%) of all pursuits proceeded less than two miles. The quantity of pursuits for each distance category above two miles consistently declined. Pursuits continuing more than five miles declined significantly from the previous year.

Reasoning

Pursued individuals provided various reasons for fleeing from law enforcement personnel. Nearly 60% provided no reason at all for fleeing. Those making a statement provided the following routine reasons: operator’s license revoked or suspended (3.0%); intoxicated (4.6%); possess stolen vehicle (9.1%); didn’t want a ticket (1.5%); scared (6.1%); or wanted for outstanding warrants (9.1%). Several pursued individuals provided more than one reason for fleeing, such as possessing a stolen vehicle and having a revoked license, being a wanted person and being scared of apprehension, and being a wanted person and possessing a stolen vehicle. An analysis of statistical data revealed that 48.19% of pursuits were initiated for driving behavior that was flagrantly reckless prior to the officer’s activation of emergency equipment. A vehicle operator that attempted to commit, or had committed, a violent felony or was suspected of being armed and dangerous led to a pursuit in 12.05% of incidents. Wanted individuals were also pursued in 12.05% of incidents. Stolen vehicles were pursued in 27.71% of incidents.

Pursuit Conclusions & Non-Pursuits

Pursued individuals voluntarily stopped in 37.5% of incidents. Officers and/or their supervisors terminated 39.7% of the initiated pursuits. There were four (4) attempts (7%) in 2022 to bring pursuits to a conclusion by deployment of a tire deflation device. In 2022 there were 62 instances in which officers elected not to engage a fleeing suspect as it did not meet established policy criteria and the danger to the public outweighed the severity of the offense in each of these instances. Patrol West saw 15 instances, Patrol Central – 31, Patrol South – 16. Pursuits decreased significantly from calendar year 2021 to calendar year 2022. However, the number of pursuits exceeded the previous five-year average of 58.6 pursuits per year.

Contact Us

Police

7721 E. Parham Rd.
Henrico, VA 23294

Emergency
911
Police Non-Emergency
(804) 501-5000
General Information
(804) 501-4800

police@henrico.us

Mailing Address
P. O. Box 90775
Henrico, VA 23273-0775

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