What does the fresh pursuit doctrine allow law enforcement officers to do?

The fresh pursuit doctrine permits law enforcement officers to continue pursuing a suspect across jurisdictional lines when the suspect is actively fleeing from law enforcement. This legal principle ensures that an officer's ability to apprehend a suspect is not hindered by geographical boundaries, which is crucial in scenarios where a suspect may cross into another jurisdiction while escaping apprehension. The doctrine upholds public safety and supports the enforcement of the law by allowing continuous pursuit, facilitating timely intervention before the suspect can evade capture entirely.

This principle is rooted in the idea that public safety is paramount; therefore, it enables officers to act decisively to apprehend individuals suspected of committing a crime, regardless of whether they enter another police department’s area of control. In this context, an officer can lawfully pursue and arrest a fleeing suspect who has crossed these lines, assuming the chase began while the officer was in "fresh pursuit."

Pursuits solely for the purpose of maintaining high-speed chases or using deadly force without justification would not be covered under this doctrine. The focus is on the immediate apprehension of suspects to prevent further criminal activity or danger to the public.