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 ^[1] ), also known as TVI (tactical vehicle intervention or tactical vehicle interception), is a law enforcement pursuit tactic in which a pursuing vehicle suddenly laterally strikes the side-rear of the pursued vehicle, thus causing the pursued vehicle to swing around and come to an unplanned stop. Ideally, forces of motion cause the struck vehicle to "pinwheel" around its own center axis and wind up facing the opposite direction of travel. The technique was developed in the late 1980s by BSR Inc., a law enforcement training center in West Virginia, and was first used by the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, United States, in 1988. ^[2] Some law enforcement agencies use the PIT maneuver regularly to end vehicle pursuits; some use it only under certain conditions, and others avoid its use altogether for safety reasons. ^[2]

Procedure

A police vehicle initiates a PIT maneuver by pulling alongside the fleeing vehicle so that the portion of the pursuer's vehicle forward of its front wheels is aligned with the portion of the target vehicle behind its back wheels. The pursuer then steers sharply into the target vehicle, with some acceleration to ensure its bumper does not slide off the target, causing the driver to lose control of the target vehicle, sending it off the road or into a barrier and eventually to a stop. ^[3] Forces of motion tend to cause the fleeing vehicle to spin. At high speeds, the sudden lateral movement can lead to 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. ^[4]

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 speed (above 20 mph; 32 km/h). ^[5]

Police pursuit policies in general — and the PIT maneuver specifically — are controversial because of risk of injury or death to both involved and uninvolved. ^[6] The PIT maneuver has been linked to at least 30 fatalities between 2016 and 2020. ^[1] Of those fatalities, 18 occurred after officers attempted to stop motorists for minor traffic violations. ^[1] Many police departments have regulations in place 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.^{[ citation needed ]}

In recent years, the Arkansas State Police have performed at least two controversial PIT maneuvers. In June 2020, a pregnant woman, who was at the time searching for a place to pull over, was the target of a PIT maneuver. 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.” ^[7] Additionally, in September 2023, an Arkansas State Trooper resigned after performing a PIT maneuver on the wrong vehicle during a high-speed chase. ^[8]

On Dec. 4, 2018, police in South Fulton, Georgia, performed a PIT maneuver on a stolen Hyundai Sonata while passing a cluster of townhouses, spinning the car into a utility pole with power lines. The driver ran from the scene and evaded capture. However, the Hyundai hit and killed a 41-year-old man named Marcus McCrary who happened to be walking on the sidewalk there. ^[1]

In April 2024 in Newberry, Florida, four teenagers died during a police pursuit initiated by the Bradford County Sheriff's office. The teens, who were between 14 and 16 years old and attended Newberry High School, were killed after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper performed a PIT maneuver on the stolen SUV they were driving. ^[9]

In March of 2025 one passenger died and three were injured after Arkansas State Police performed a PIT maneuver during a chase on the I-40. Police found firearms, promethazine and other illicit substances in the vehicle. Police charged the driver with first-degree murder for the passenger's death. ^[10]

However, the landmark supreme court cases such as Scott v Harris have better defined Graham v. Conner and Tennessee v. Garner in that it is not the initial reason for the traffic stop or the mere flight of the suspect which constitutes the PIT to be accomplished on the suspect vehicle, but rather the tactical application of a maneuver to prevent further damage, injury, or death to innocent citizens. "The Fourth Amendment does not prevent a police officer from ramming a fleeing suspect's car to end a high-speed chase, notwithstanding the risk of serious harm to the suspect." https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/550/372/. Moreover, placing a per se speed to the risk of injury or death when a PIT is applied can be too subjective. Empirical evidence demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of vehicle crashes in the US each year which occur at high speeds are not resulting in fatalities, thereby, many claim that the PIT when performed correctly is a less-lethal tactic and much safer for officers than the deployment of tire deflating devices (spikes). Numerous officers are killed each year by deploying spikes. https://www.odmp.org/. Through the technological advancements of vehicle manufacturing and the implementation of ESC (electronic stability control), anti-lock brakes, and seatbelt usage, administering PIT maneuvers can be viewed as safer today than when it was first incepted in the late 1980's as vehicles were objectively less safe than today.

References

1. Raviv, Shaun, and John Sullivan, "Police driving maneuver used to end chases has killed 30 people since 2016, The Post finds" Archived May 27, 2023, at the Wayback Machine , Washington Post, August 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
2. "Law Enforcement Pursuits in Georgia: Review and Recommendations" (PDF). Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. August 8, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
3. Mascarenas, David; G. Park; C. Farrar (November 27, 2011). "Escape and Evade Policies for High-Speed, Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles" (PDF). Los Alamos National Security.
4. Townsend, Eric J. S. (2004). "Police End Car Chases with a Spin". News & Record . Archived from the original on January 20, 2008.
5. "Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Police Pursuit Guidelines" (PDF). Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
6. Lauer, Claudia (September 19, 2023). "New report recommends limiting police pursuits to violent crimes after rise in fatalities". Associated Press.
7. Battles, Miriam (November 19, 2021). "Arkansas State Police settles PIT maneuver lawsuit which injured pregnant woman". KARK News.
8. Smith, Bill (September 19, 2023). "Arkansas trooper retires after performing PIT maneuver on wrong car". The Hill.
9. Turbeville, Ryan Wyatt (April 27, 2024). "4 teenagers die in high-speed chase after trooper uses PIT maneuver". www.wlbt.com. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
10. "Memphis woman killed, another injured in AR crash after high-speed chase on I-40". WREG.com. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.