PIT maneuver

For other uses, see PIT (disambiguation).

PIT maneuver diagram (animated GIF image)

California Highway Patrol cruisers using a PIT maneuver to disable a fleeing vehicle

The PIT maneuver (precision immobilization technique), also known as TVI (tactical vehicle intervention), is a law enforcement pursuit tactic in which a pursuing vehicle forces another vehicle to turn sideways abruptly, causing the driver to lose control and stop. It was developed by BSR Inc. and first used by the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, United States, in 1988.

Procedure

The PIT maneuver begins when the pursuing vehicle pulls alongside the fleeing vehicle so that the portion of the pursuer's vehicle forward of the front wheels is aligned with the portion of the target vehicle behind the back wheels. The pursuer gently makes contact with the target's side, then sharply steers into the target. The pursuer must also accelerate (or its bumper will slide off the target vehicle). Forces of motion tend to swing the fleeing vehicle around in a sweeping arc until its position is reversed, with its front bumper suddenly facing the rear (similar to the movement of a just-smacked tetherball). At high speeds, such sudden lateral movement can cause rollover collisions.

History

The PIT originated in West Virginia during the late 1980s with a goal of halting fleeing vehicles as "tactical vehicle interception (T.V.I.)". The first U.S. law enforcement agency to teach PIT was the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, which modified the technique's parameters for initiation and execution in police tactics.

Controversy

While some police departments in the United States consider the PIT maneuver as an intermediate force option that can end a pursuit, others like the state of Illinois consider "forcible stop techniques" to be "use of deadly force" if performed at high speeds (above 20 mph).

Police pursuit policies in general — and the PIT maneuver specifically — are controversial because of risk of injury or death to both involved and uninvolved. The PIT maneuver has been linked to at least 30 fatalities between 2016 and 2020. Of those fatalities, 18 occurred when officers attempted to stop motorists for minor traffic violations. Many police departments have placed regulations to limit the potential risks of the PIT maneuver and limit its use to serious situations, including pursuit of drivers with outstanding warrants or who are considered likely to be dangerous for other reasons.

In recent years, Arkansas State Police have at least twice performed controversial PIT maneuvers. A pregnant woman who was searching for a place to pull over was the target of a PIT maneuver in June 2020. As part of a legal settlement with the driver of the car, the Arkansas State Police agreed to improve training and restrict the use of the PIT maneuver and use it only in cases to “protect a third person or an officer from imminent death or serious physical injury.”

In September 2023, an Arkansas State Trooper resigned after he performed a PIT maneuver on the wrong vehicle during a high-speed chase.