The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into the actions of an officer who carried out an unauthorised pursuit of a dirt bike. The pursuit ended when the officer lost control of the patrol car, crashed into a stationary vehicle and caused that vehicle to shunt forward into another parked car.
The Police investigated the collision and established that the officer had seen the dirt bike and activated their lights and sirens with the intention to pull it over. When the dirt bike failed to stop, the officer initiated a pursuit. The officer’s colleague (who was in the passenger seat) advised against this as a pursuit was not justified due to the dangerous speed and the serious risk of injury.
The pursuit continued into a residential area and the officer’s colleague again asked the officer to abandon the pursuit. The officer ignored this request and continued the pursuit until the dirt bike mounted the footpath and entered a park via its pedestrian entrance. At this point, the officer braked suddenly, lost control of the patrol car and collided with a parked car.
A group of neighbours, including small children, had stopped on the footpath near the park to watch the dirt bike and were immediately in front of the parked cars and only metres away from the collision.
The Police investigation included an examination of the patrol car data which showed that, prior to the collision, the car was recorded travelling at 144 km/hr in the 50km/hr residential zone. Police charged the officer with driving in a dangerous manner. The officer pleaded guilty and was convicted.
Police then undertook an employment process and found the officer had breached several Police policies as well as the Police Code of Conduct and Values.
The Authority is satisfied with the outcome of Police investigations.
IPCA:24-25600