Standard Operating Procedures 

6a) Traffic Stops

1. Initiate the stop in regard to Law 3.5 Right to Stop and Detain by turning on your emergency lights (Shift) and pulling behind the vehicle you wish to pull over.

   • • It is also important to try and use sounds to get the attention of the driver. Turn your siren on and off (Q), or make use of your notification sound (ALT).

     • Some officers may also choose to use “Speakers” (bind “<Key>” “say /y Please pull your vehicle to over in the next available parking area!”).

     • Before initiating a traffic stop, you must identify a safe location to pull over the vehicle, which is somewhere like the side of a residential road, car park, breakdown zone, etc, you should not be pulling people over on the highway with fast-moving traffic.

2. Upon pulling over the vehicle notify dispatch or officers on duty of the traffic stop with either text-based or voice radio. Keep your engine on (this is in case the suspect runs, and you need to leave quickly). Also, turn your vehicle towards traffic (If you get hit from behind, this will help protect you and turn the vehicle outwardly). Do not interrupt other officers, wait your turn to speak.

   • • Create a "quick incident" for a traffic stop on your police computer (F3), it will identify the registation plate and allow for officers and dispatch to see your making a traffic stop. You may wish to inform officers via radio that you're performing a "10-95" (traffic stop).

     • If you need backup, ask dispatch for the number of additional units you require.

  3. Traffic stop procedures are

• Location -  When performing a traffic stop you must make sure that the vehicle stops in a safe location such as a car park, breakdown area or off the road. This is done to ensure both the officer and the civilian are safe.

• Positioning - You should position your vehicle behind the vehicle you have stopped, approximately half a car length back, with your lights and engine on.

• Engine and Radio - Before exiting your vehicle, instruct the driver to turn off his engine and radio. This is done to ensure that you have enough reaction time to get in your vehicle in case they decide to flee, and so they can hear you.

• Visibility - Equip your high visibility jacket to ensure you are easily seen at night, especially while on highways and busy roads.

• Identification - Ask for the driver's ID, so you can run them in your police computer (F3) in your vehicle to check their history and any warrants. Make sure to double-check that they are the owner of the vehicle via the ANPR to ensure it isn’t stolen.

• Punishment - Before issuing tickets make sure you inform the driver of the law they broke, fine amount and justification. Remember, you can use your discretion with fines, they don’t have to be the maximum.

6b) Road Traffic Collisions

To create a safe scene and outcome of a Road Traffic Collision, the steps below should be followed:

• When on the scene of an RTC, you should keep your emergency lights and lightbar guide turned on, with your vehicle angled towards the road in a fend-off position. This prevents your vehicle from rolling into you and causing injury when you’re standing outside your vehicle managing the RTC if it were to be rammed.

• With your high visibility jacket equipped you create a sterile work environment using cones, when placing these cones never turn your back on traffic and give a great distance of warning to allow drivers enough time to slow down safely (100m). The cones should be slowly angled merging one lane into the other. Do not step out onto the road unless you are placing a cone.

• If there are any injuries or fires call for EMS or the Fire Department immediately. Make sure they do not park their vehicles on the road you have merged vehicles into using your cones.

• While waiting for EMS/Fire Department to arrive you can make use of /pbc to alert road users of the collision, giving them an extra warning to slow.

• Then if needed request Roadcrew and wait for them to be finished before removing your cones. Finally, make sure all cones are picked up to avoid another collision in the future and allow road users to know the road is now clear with /pbc.

6c) Speed Traps

To set up an effective Speed Trap the following steps should be followed:

• Equip your hi-vis vest for better visibility

• Ensure the location you choose to set up your Speed Trap is safe. That it does not completely obstruct the flow of traffic or pedestrian movement. It may limit the flow of traffic or pedestrian movement to an extent but not to the point where it would endanger them to drive or walk around your trap. If your Speed Trap limits both the flow of traffic and walking to an extent it is necessary to place cones and signs to alert pedestrians and drivers.

• The engine of your vehicle should be kept running and positioned ready to pursue offender vehicles.

• Make effective use of your Speed Camera, keep outside the vehicle and lock both the plate and speed before pursuing.

  • To use a speed camera you can press/hold LMB (left mouse button) to capture vehicles current, max speed and its license plate. To copy a car's license plate (to your clipboard) you can press RMB (right mouse button). To remove the last recorded max speed you can press R.

• Cones and other RTO available barricades should be placed when positioned on the side of the road or in a breakdown zone.

• Speed Traps must not be set up in a position to cause harm to yourself or other road users.

• Speed Traps should not under any circumstances be set up on highway lanes.

• When responding to any other call you must take down your speed trap before leaving the area.

6d) Use of Force - Vehicles

During pursuits, offenders will commonly drive on the wrong side of roads or highways in an attempt to gain a greater distance from the officer pursuing. It is a must that the use of force policy is always considered when dealing with wrong way drivers.

• Only shoot tires if the vehicle poses an IMMEDIATE threat to life. For example, if the vehicle is driving on the wrong side of the highway it is considered an immediate threat to life so disabling the vehicle is necessary for preservation of life. Officers should solely aim for the tires of the vehicle, avoiding any windows of penetrable areas such as doors to avoid hitting the driver.

• At no point can officers drive on the wrong side of the highway, doing this is considered gross misconduct and can result in suspension, demotion or termination from the RTU or PLPD.

6e) Emergency Response

Code 3 - Use of lights & sirens.

As an RTO, your emergency driving skills must be to a high standard and you are expected to follow the policy as it will be enforced strictly on you. Road Traffic Trainers and Supervisors will keep a close watch on Road Traffic Officers when they are responding code 3 to situations. To remind you, emergency driving is composed of the following SOPs:

• While responding to an emergency, the officer’s may disregard certain Traffic Laws.

• While responding to an emergency, the officer should keep their emergency lights and sirens on, unless there is a valid reason not to.

• While responding to an emergency, the officer should generally keep their siren on while driving through areas where traffic or pedestrians could interfere with the response.

• The officer may not break any laws that could cause injury or death to anyone else, unless the officer has encountered a direct threat on their own life.

• When responding to an emergency the officer needs to ensure that when they break a traffic law it is done in a safe manner, eg:

  • When disregarding a red light, stop sign, yield sign or driving through a heavily populated area make use of your priority siren by pressing “C” this gives greater warning to civilians and road users.

  • When running a red light, the officer should slow down to ensure no cars will collide with them. This still applies during a pursuit if a vehicle were to speed through an intersection with disregard to the lights you must still slow and ensure it is safe to pass as traffic conditions might have changed even if this creates a bigger gap during the pursuit.

  • When disregarding yield and stop signs, the officer must ensure they will not collide with a vehicle or pedestrian. Officers should slow on approach to the signs and give a good check before disregarding them.

  • When disregarding the speed limit, the officer must ensure they have enough time and space to brake safely, should an obstacle appear in front of them.

• If your vehicle is to come in contact and injure a pedestrian you must stop immediately and provide them with the proper care.

• If your vehicle is to come in contact with another road user and causes serious damage you must stop and provide them with the proper care.

• When disregarding the traffic laws while responding to an emergency the officer is responsible for their actions while driving and must never cause any harm to civilian life or drive in a manner which could possibly cause harm.

• It is never permitted for an officer to respond, pursue or drive a vehicle on the wrong side of the highway.

Driving down the highway's off and on-ramps is permitted, if the officer displays maximum caution and takes precautions (driving carefully and slowly, using lights, sirens and yelp) to alert incoming drivers of their presence. Any collisions that occur, while driving down the wrong side of the ramps, makes you liable to disciplinary action.

6g) Wheel Clamps 

As per Section 5 of the Equipment and Vehicles policy, you must only clamp a vehicle when:

• • It is liable to asset forfeiture as prescribed within the relevant offence that the driver or vehicle has committed.

  • It is in a position where it is causing or is suspected that it will cause an obstruction to access, the flow of traffic and/or pedestrians.

  • You have a reasonably held belief that clamping said vehicle would significantly benefit an ongoing or planned situation and/or provide a strong tactical advantage. For example, clamping vehicles belonging to criminals prior to a police raid of their property in order to prevent escape.

    • The wheel clamp should not be used to escalate situations and should only be used to this effect if it is in the interest of preventing crime before it happens.

The policy also states that you must remain with any vehicle you have clamped until it is taken by RC and/or impounded, the wheel clamp has been removed or you have a justifiable reason to leave that vehicle.

What constitutes a justifiable reason to leave a vehicle wheel clamped is at your discretion and is dependent on the situation. You must consider factors such as where the vehicle is, how big it is, why it was clamped and what may happen if you leave it. If a vehicle is obstructing a road/highway you must only leave that vehicle if you need to respond to another life threatening or otherwise urgent emergency. 

Examples of where it would/would not be justifiable to leave a vehicle would be:

• A vehicle is clamped in the bazaar front parking lot for illegal parking and it does not cause any sort of obstruction to the road. Roadcrew have been made aware and you are waiting for them to attend. You are then called by a supervisor to report to the office, or as a supervisor you are requested to attend a supervisor request. It would be justifiable to remove the wheel clamp and attend as the supervisor situation would take priority over the low-impact illegal parking.

• You have stopped an individual at the hospital for reckless driving and have clamped their vehicle as it is liable to asset forfeiture. You are then requested to go to the fire station and clamp an illegally parked vehicle because there are no other traffic officers. Whilst this vehicle is not causing an obstruction, you have stopped the driver because their manner of driving is putting other road users at risk. It would not be justifiable to remove the clamp and attend fire station because of the potential risk you are then putting other road users in by letting them go.

• You have attended a single vehicle road traffic collision on the city bridge. You have attended, placed appropriate cones and signage, made a PBC and have clamped the vehicle. Roadcrew are aware and are rushing to attend. An officer panic button is then activated at the projex apartments and you observe multiple officer life alerts. In this situation, whilst the vehicle is causing a dangerous obstruction to highway users, a life threatening emergency is occurring at projex and you are in close proximity. You would not stay with the vehicle. You should quickly press your ticket book on the vehicle, remove the wheel clamp if you have time and make immediate response to the projex apartments.

• You are currently at a live lane breakdown in which a courier van has hit the forest highway bend and is no longer in drivable condition. You have placed appropriate cones and signage and have made a PBC as well as clamped the van. Roadcrew are aware. You are then requested as a supervisor to take DNA at the slums apartments for a slow time investigation. Due to the size of the van and the potential danger it puts road users in, versus the low priority of taking DNA which a medical technician could do, you would stay with the van until recovery has arrived.

When you are required to leave a clamped vehicle, you must always remove the wheel clamp if it is practicable to do so.