Lost a Foot Chase :(

[MiGuy]

Allright, I need some encouragement. I won't lie, that's what I'm looking for. This is like my 3rd footchase since I've been in Field Training. The First one I caught the guy on my own running through alleys and recovered the drugs that he tried to ditch on me. The 2nd one was a guy ran while cuffed and although he got pretty far, there were 10 of us Officers around when he ran so there was no way he would have escaped. Well, this one I had today was my first chase so far that I lost the guy.
My FTO was placing him in custody and as he was placing the cuffs on him and the guy shook off and ran. I immediately went after him and soon I was on my own running through the alleys.. Well, with my heavy boots and everything as we were running up hill in the one alley I just got exhausted and had to slow down to a jog, knowing there were 3 or 4 other patrol cars circling around the block. Well I couldn't see which way he went into a new alley so when I got to the end I looked right and saw some patrol cars passing so I figured they would get him if he went that way so I went left. When I exited the alley he was nowhere to be seen... So it is assumed he ditched into one of the houses in the alley because we didn't find him in any of the yards.
Anyways, although I know this probably happens quite a bit, it just frustrates me because it is my first foot chase I lost... I figured I'm in pretty decent shape (after all I did just get out of the academy 7/8 weeks ago) and am young so I should have got the guy. So, just lookin for some of you out there where the suspect has gotten away from you.. Just some of those stories so I don't feel so crapy about it. But at least I can say, when I see him next time I work, because yes he will be back walking outside on my post, he will not even have the chance to run.
Thanks in advance for your replies!

[MPDCjock]

Losing a foot chase sucks...really bad. I take it personally and it wears on me the rest of the tour. You just have to chalk it up as one got away and move on.

What helps me is working out twice as hard the following day. Suspects usually only have a good all out sprint for 1-2 blocks after that you have to pickup speed to close in on them. They have an advantage because they know their neighboorhood better than you do.

Don't worry, you'll have better luck next time.

[WKT]

They always want to get away a lot more than you want to catch them....and there's always somebody out there faster than you. Besides, two out of three ain't bad. If you keep that ratio your entire career, you'll be waaaaaaay ahead of most officers.

[StudChris]

The only real foot pursuit I've been in (real as in more than them just trying to shake loose and getting a few feet) I lost, and I took extremely personal because I was arresting the guy after the end of a long drawn out 1st degree felony investigation. Anyway, he got away that night... but I charged him a few months down the line when he got arrested by someone else. Just remember, they don't ever REALLY win... they just delay.

[chiefcop]

Foot chases are overrated...especially when you come upon a clothesline.........LIMBO QUICK>>>>>>>>......


I prefer Motorola

[NightStix]

Foot chases are overrated...especially when you come upon a clothesline.........LIMBO QUICK>>>>>>>>......


I prefer Motorola

LMAO Had to laugh at that one.

[ERMDPD]

One of my best friends got into a foot chase this past Saturday. He gets into a foot chase about once a month... Every chase he's been able to get the guy except this time... He got really ****ed off and couldn't get over it especially since it was his second longest foot chase (almost 8 blocks!). Guy got away at the last second (knew his hood) and jumped two back to back fences and made a quick turn so he lost him... It happens and it will happen probably happen again. You get some & you loose some.. Just sucks when you loose them...

I got a pretty embarrassing story to share with you about a female officer I know that got into a foot chase if you want to read it to make you feel better... :D

[MiGuy]

One of my best friends got into a foot chase this past Saturday. He gets into a foot chase about once a month... Every chase he's been able to get the guy except this time... He got really ****ed off and couldn't get over it especially since it was his second longest foot chase (almost 8 blocks!). Guy got away at the last second (knew his hood) and jumped two back to back fences and made a quick turn so he lost him... It happens and it will happen probably happen again. You get some & you loose some.. Just sucks when you loose them...

I got a pretty embarrassing story to share with you about a female officer I know that got into a foot chase if you want to read it to make you feel better... :D

haha you know I would love to hear the embarrassing story because of course it would make me feel better. After all, with the stupid things I've done in the short time I've been on the streets, it's always nice to hear the stupid things that others have done so I don't feel so left out! Thanks so far to all those who replied. After reading some of those and getting a good nights sleep I'm not soo bothered by losing the footchase as I was yesterday. Like I said, I know when I go back to work Saturday, he will be there out in the streets, and this time he will not be so lucky!

[ERMDPD]

OK here it goes... A female officer finally arrested a guy that had escaped twice from them (took flight upon seeing marked vehicles) that same week (keep that in mind) for purchasing drugs. I guess he got scared when she pulled out the taser on him and gave up this time... So she goes and cuffs him up, pats him down, finds a few crack rocks and what not... SHE SITS HIM ON THE SIDEWALK as she goes to sit in the driver seat to write his arrest form..

Next thing you know the guy comes up with the great idea to make a run for it with cuffs on and shoes off! LMAO! When she looks up he's already across the street running with his shorts falling, cuffs on, and shoeless! He jumps to fences (like a dolphin jumping out of the water) falls on his face and continues running... He ended up getting away.

Now she's freaking out and doesn't know what to do... How is she going to explain this to Sarge?! So she decides to search the area on her own for AN HOUR hoping she finds him, which she failed to do. After giving up (an hr later) she phoned SGT to inform him of what had happened... She was placed on suspension and terminated from that squad.

[Red Swan]

I have been on several foot pursuits throughout the summer...and out of all them lost one, was assisting another agency.. BIA, rolled up on scene for a domestic, and the guy with a federal felony warrant took off out off the house after beating the sh#t out his girlfriend...well we chased in the dark but he was hoped up on meth, and appretialy that makes you run faster cause he was damn fast..after hour of looking with border patrols heat palms and infer-red cameras we gave up on him....very disappointing but whatever there's always another day....

one week latter, a pursuit started same bad guy was on a horse and then foot during a small town parade...and we got the scum bag...these idiots can only hide so long and they will show up:)

[ArkansasFan24]

Allright, I need some encouragement. I won't lie, that's what I'm looking for. This is like my 3rd footchase since I've been in Field Training. The First one I caught the guy on my own running through alleys and recovered the drugs that he tried to ditch on me. The 2nd one was a guy ran while cuffed and although he got pretty far, there were 10 of us Officers around when he ran so there was no way he would have escaped. Well, this one I had today was my first chase so far that I lost the guy.
My FTO was placing him in custody and as he was placing the cuffs on him and the guy shook off and ran. I immediately went after him and soon I was on my own running through the alleys.. Well, with my heavy boots and everything as we were running up hill in the one alley I just got exhausted and had to slow down to a jog, knowing there were 3 or 4 other patrol cars circling around the block. Well I couldn't see which way he went into a new alley so when I got to the end I looked right and saw some patrol cars passing so I figured they would get him if he went that way so I went left. When I exited the alley he was nowhere to be seen... So it is assumed he ditched into one of the houses in the alley because we didn't find him in any of the yards.
Anyways, although I know this probably happens quite a bit, it just frustrates me because it is my first foot chase I lost... I figured I'm in pretty decent shape (after all I did just get out of the academy 7/8 weeks ago) and am young so I should have got the guy. So, just lookin for some of you out there where the suspect has gotten away from you.. Just some of those stories so I don't feel so crapy about it. But at least I can say, when I see him next time I work, because yes he will be back walking outside on my post, he will not even have the chance to run.
Thanks in advance for your replies!

It is a bit of a morale breaker, but get over it. It's going to happen. He'll get caught later. I lost the first chase I was in because, unknown to me, he had a little trail cut through the brush which he easily ducked through. I tried to run head-on after him and got tangled up like a fly in a spider web. Oh, and then I fell off into a big drainage ditch and scraped a good bit of skin off the back of my right hand. However, I can say that I got closer to him than anyone in the history of my department. I ran a couple more down later. I've now adopted the policy to not chase. I'm by myself with no likelihood of backup. Once you catch them encourage them not to run away again. ;)

[MiGuy]

It is a bit of a morale breaker, but get over it. It's going to happen. He'll get caught later. I lost the first chase I was in because, unknown to me, he had a little trail cut through the brush which he easily ducked through. I tried to run head-on after him and got tangled up like a fly in a spider web. Oh, and then I fell off into a big drainage ditch and scraped a good bit of skin off the back of my right hand. However, I can say that I got closer to him than anyone in the history of my department. I ran a couple more down later. I've now adopted the policy to not chase. I'm by myself with no likelihood of backup. Once you catch them encourage them not to run away again. ;)

Haha now that story definitely makes me feel better. I would love to adopt the no chase policy but I don't think that would look good on me being young and fresh out of the academy. But I hear stories constantly about people getting seriously hurt from these foot chases so I just want to make sure I"m careful. Although next time I will be smarter to run to the car and let the car do most of the chasing! And as far as once I catch them encourage them not to run away again.. I will make sure I have a nice... Talk.. with this gentlemen that got away this first time, next time I catch him.

ERM, thanks for that story of the female Officer. Now that is bad. If there is one thing I learned from watching the guy in flex cuffs try to run on the ten of us Officers that were literally surrounding him, is to make sure I have a good grip AT ALL TIMES, especially when they are in cuffs. Because not until they have cuffs on and get away are you in trouble.

Thanks again for everyone who has piped up!

[MPDCjock]

^ Plus one!

[WKT]

OK here it goes... A female officer finally arrested a guy that had escaped twice from them (took flight upon seeing marked vehicles) that same week (keep that in mind) for purchasing drugs. I guess he got scared when she pulled out the taser on him and gave up this time... So she goes and cuffs him up, pats him down, finds a few crack rocks and what not... SHE SITS HIM ON THE SIDEWALK as she goes to sit in the driver seat to write his arrest form..

Next thing you know the guy comes up with the great idea to make a run for it with cuffs on and shoes off! LMAO! When she looks up he's already across the street running with his shorts falling, cuffs on, and shoeless! He jumps to fences (like a dolphin jumping out of the water) falls on his face and continues running... He ended up getting away.

Now she's freaking out and doesn't know what to do... How is she going to explain this to Sarge?! So she decides to search the area on her own for AN HOUR hoping she finds him, which she failed to do. After giving up (an hr later) she phoned SGT to inform him of what had happened... She was placed on suspension and terminated from that squad.


Now there's two lessons for you: 1. When it's time to arrest, it's time to handcuff. 2. When they're under arrest, there's only two places for them to be: in the back of your car or in jail.


A note on foot pursuits: They can be dangerous for reasons other than the usual falling down, ankle twisting, etc. If the suspect decides to turn on you and you can't get control of him, and you have no backup, what's to stop him from getting your gun and using it on you, or using your baton/pepper spray/taser on you? And if you already know who the suspect is, he has extra incentive to make sure you are never able to chase him again. It has happened before. The same rule that applies in vehicle pursuits applies to foot pursuits: sometimes the smartest thing you can do is NOT chase.

[silasblack]

^ +1

watch your tunnel vision and make sure you know your surroundings. if you can't tell anyone on the radio where you are or where you're going, stop chasing.

[deetz58]

Sorry to hear about your first loss. I wouldn't worry about it. Like said before they never actually win. Fortunately I haven't lost one yet (out of about 10 in 1.5 yrs), but I am sure my day is coming. Most of the time I usually know who is running from me (Smaller community, high violence), but if you don't catch them they will come back and assault someone else or run someone over or break the windows out of someones house, etc etc etc. When I do lose I hopefully will be prepared for it. Like said before I wouldn't worry about it.

[NORCOCOP]

I don't remember if it was my first but I have been outsmarted a time or two by knowledgeable locals. The first on I lost used a cut through like someone posted above when I ran through the "bush" next to where he ran through it appear to be less thick, it was a thorn bush and tore the skin off of the whole left side of my neck shoulders and face, not really deep but the next few days in uniform really hurt. I caught him a week later on a traffic stop and he had a long back up for some probation violations. I have also slipped on a taser cartridge that flew off in mid stride and got a few seriously busted ribs from the resulting tumble, I could hardly breath in my vest for months, and last but not least I caught this guy but in the mean time I got attacked by 2 large attack shepards in a back yard. Foot pursuits can be fun and I don't like to let anyone go but do be careful, especially until you have a good grasp on your patrol area. They will use thier knowledge of the area to their advantage. Your fto should be able to give you pointers on where they should be heading and the normal routes used by the turds, the more I have been in the more effective I have become, even though my running fitness is not as good as it was in the begining.

[df2338]

How about losing a bunch of 14 year old punks who were swimming in a neighbors pool. A bit of advice, get close before you put the flashlight on them...and dont broadcast the suspect information as" got a bunch of naked teenagers running from me". You will NEVER live that down.
Found them in 15 mins, they were hiding within a block of where I lost them, and I know I am in the top 5 runners in the dept, I do the PT:)

[creolecop]

We get into foot pursuits several times a week. I get into atleast one a week. Vehicle pursuits, I had 9 thus far this year. once I had 3 vehicle pursuits in 2 shifts. 2 in one shift and 1 at the very begining of the next shift. They love to run where I live, and they almost never get away on foot, and almost never in a vehicle, but they will run on you here. I had one get away in a vehicle once, when I found the car they had bailed out seconds before I got there but I had not seen which direction they went. We got the driver through an investigation pipelining back to from the registered owner who had not called the vehicle in as stolen.

Foot pursuits, I have lost maybe two, but I always catch my man. When I chase someone on foot, I take it as a personal challenge, and I have a VERY strong competitive impulse. At times, I think I better be careful, cause I just go balls to the wall to catch em' and I'm fast. One time a suspect rounded a corner and waited for me around the corner, luckily I rounded the corner wide, cause he tried to sneak me as I ran around the corner, he ended up getting tuned up on the side of that building and hauled off to jail ;)