The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into an incident where a Police patrol unit in Canterbury witnessed reckless driving and followed the vehicle from a distance, before the offending vehicle crashed, injuring its occupants.
The investigation found the patrol vehicle was not in close enough proximity for the offending driver to be aware Police were signalling them to stop. Police determined the officer complied with Police Urgent Duty Driving policy at the time; however, the officer should have treated the incident as a fleeing driver event and advised Police Communications of this, allowing for a coordinated response from Police.
As a result of their investigation, Police spoke to the subject officer about best practice when pursuing vehicles, and circulated the details to other officers in the district so they could learn from the incident.
The Authority is satisfied with how the Police conducted their investigation and the outcomes they reached.
IPCA: 20-3083