Pursuit Across State Lines
One quick question. What is the procedure state police follow if they are pursuing someone across state lines (suspect flees from home state to neighboring state line). Lets say going from Texas to New Mexico, can Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM in pursuit?
What if suspect was simply speeding and state trooper tries to pull suspect over but suspect makes it into neighboring state line? Can the Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM and issue ticket or make an arrest?
How does this apply to county sheriffs department in Texas, neighboring counties...ect?
Not planning on running from the cops or anything, just always wondered what this scenario entails.
Re: Pursuit across state lines
Quote:
One quick question. What is the procedure state police follow if they are pursuing someone across state lines (suspect flees from home state to neighboring state line). Lets say going from Texas to New Mexico, can Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM in pursuit?
What if suspect was simply speeding and state trooper tries to pull suspect over but suspect makes it into neighboring state line? Can the Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM and issue ticket or make an arrest?
My understanding (and I have been known to be wrong) is that the TX authorities would contact the NM authorities and either a) ask for the NM authorities to take over or b) ask for escort and assistance in the pursuit.
Quote:
How does this apply to county sheriffs department in Texas, neighboring counties...ect?
The same. We just had a 3 county chase here in TX. Of course, the media was all over it. When they finally caught the moron (and believe me, that's being very kind) there were 3 different counties' officers on the scene. Cars and cops everywhere!
Re: Pursuit across state lines
Quote:
Quoting
Vas Deferens
One quick question. What is the procedure state police follow if they are pursuing someone across state lines (suspect flees from home state to neighboring state line). Lets say going from Texas to New Mexico, can Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM in pursuit?
What if suspect was simply speeding and state trooper tries to pull suspect over but suspect makes it into neighboring state line? Can the Texas DPS officer follow suspect into NM and issue ticket or make an arrest?
All states have codified laws on interstate "fresh pursuit", here is NM's since you used it as an example. Statutorily, here, fresh pursuit involves only a felony. Regardless of the infraction/crime committed, if the suspect flees, this is generally a felony in and of itself (for purposes of this discussion only), so that authorizes the officer to cross state lines.
Quote:
31-2-1. [Officer of another state entering this state in fresh pursuit; power to arrest and hold fugitive.] (1937)
Any member of a duly organized state, county or municipal peace unit of another state of the United States who enters this state in fresh pursuit, and continues within this state in such fresh pursuit, of a person in order to arrest him on the ground that he is believed to have committed a felony in such other state, shall have the same authority to arrest and hold such person in custody, as has any member of any duly organized state, county or municipal peace unit of this state, to arrest and hold in custody a person on the ground that he is believed to have committed a felony in this state
.
Quote:
How does this apply to county sheriffs department in Texas, neighboring counties...ect?
Not planning on running from the cops or anything, just always wondered what this scenario entails.
Some states give officers state wide jurisdiction, so in those, there is no genuine issue. In those that have territorial limits, you will probably find the law allows similar crossing over boundary lines in the act of fresh pursuit.
As jojo points out also, a radio call ahead from Texas to NM for backup is always a good bet.