Date of Award

January 2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Michael Meyer

Abstract

Minnesota passed a law in 1999 requiring continuous in-service training in police pursuits for all licensed peace officers in the state. The purpose of this study is to conduct an evidence based program evaluation of the effectiveness of this law. This study examines the literature and presents the findings of previous research on police pursuits, including a discussion of the implementation of police pursuit policies and the usual approach taken by most police agencies to address police pursuits. The history of events that led Minnesota to take a unique approach to the problem by adopting this specific law is described. The effectiveness of continuous in-service training in pursuits for police officers is evaluated by answering thirteen research questions. First, the research questions examine if there are significant differences on the number of pursuits in Minnesota between licensed officers who are required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training and licensed officers who are not required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training. Second, the research questions examine if there are significant differences on the number of pursuits ending in a collision between licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training and licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are not required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training. This analysis examines all pursuits and then breaks the pursuits down for further analysis by reason for initiation. Third the research questions examine if there are significant differences on the number of pursuits terminated by officer discretion between licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training and licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are not required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training. This analysis also examines all pursuits and then breaks the pursuits down for further analysis by reason for initiation. Fourth, the research questions examine if there are significant differences on the number of pursuits resulting in property damage between licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training and licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are not required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training. Fifth, research questions examine if there are significant differences on the number of pursuits resulting in personal injury between licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training and licensed officers involved in a pursuit who are not required to attend continuous in-service police pursuit training. Effectiveness of training is evaluated by statistical analysis using t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance. Data from six years of police pursuits in Minnesota obtained from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is analyzed. A discussion of the results of the evaluation of the program's effectiveness is then presented.

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