The purpose of this ordinance shall be to determine the necessity of commencing a vehicle pursuit and the method to be employed in conducting such pursuit.
As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PRIMARY VEHICLE
Vehicle initiating pursuit.
SECONDARY VEHICLE
Backup vehicle, if available.
Legal references are as follows:
A. 
Section 1103, New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
B. 
Section 1104, New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
C. 
Section 1144, New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
A police officer employed by the Incorporated Village of Sag Harbor shall be guided by the following regulations when involved in a pursuit of a motor vehicle:
A. 
Initiate vehicle stop when feasible.
B. 
Determine the necessity for commencing and continuing a vehicle pursuit by considering the following:
(1) 
Nature of the offense.
(2) 
Time of day.
(3) 
Weather conditions.
(4) 
Location and population density.
(5) 
Capability of the Department vehicle.
(6) 
Familiarity with the area.
(NOTE: Department policy requires that a vehicle pursuit be terminated whenever the risks to uniformed members of the service and the public outweigh the danger to the community; if the suspect is not immediately apprehended; if the chase is terminated, members will attempt to obtain sufficient information to effect apprehension.)
C. 
Notify the radio dispatcher at the start of pursuit and provide the following information:
(1) 
Your location.
(2) 
Type of vehicle, color and direction of travel.
(3) 
Nature of offense.
(4) 
Registration number and state of registration.
(5) 
Occupants.
(6) 
Any pertinent information.
D. 
Maintain radio communication with the dispatcher, but do not depress the transmitter key unnecessarily, and keep radio transmissions brief and to the point.
E. 
Utilize the vehicle's emergency signaling devices intelligently.
(1) 
Do not use the constant position on siren since it tends to distort radio transmissions and blot out the sound of approaching vehicles.
F. 
Inform the dispatcher if the vehicle changes direction or if you have lost said vehicle.
(1) 
Give the last location, speed and direction of travel to the radio operator.
G. 
Speed to be used:
(1) 
Sustained speed.
(a) 
Sustained speed within Village limits is not to exceed 65 miles per hour.
(b) 
The definition of "sustained speed" is: more than 1/2 mile.
(2) 
Speed outside of jurisdiction is not to exceed 75 miles per hour.
(NOTE: When reasonable grounds exist that a felony has been committed involving deadly physical force, the above guidelines may be exceeded but shall not absolve the police officer of his obligations and responsibilities toward other users of the highway.)
H. 
Secondary vehicle responsibility.
(1) 
Any other units shall stay off the air except in extreme emergencies and stay clear of the pursuit but remain alert to its progress. They will not join in or interfere with the pursuit vehicle.
(2) 
If a secondary vehicle is requested, it will be either to go to a strategic position or as a backup when the pursued vehicle is stopped. At no time will there be a caravan of cars involved in a chase.
(3) 
If the chase is terminated, the primary vehicle may ask assistance of other units to check out the area where the vehicle was last seen.
I. 
Remember that, as a primary vehicle, you have a responsibility to operate a vehicle at a speed that is reasonable and prudent under present road conditions and not interfere with the free and proper use of the public highway and not endanger other users of the public highway.