Multi-Juris Pursuit Raises Comm Questions

The Weld County (Colo.) Sheriff’s Office has issued its recommendations after the line-of-duty death of Dep. Sam Brownlee last November at the end of a vehicle pursuit, saying there were issues of command, communications, joint-agency operations and arrest techniques. Brownlee was shot with his own .45-cal. duty weapon as he and several other officers attempted to handcuff a suspect who had taken a relative’s vehicle after making suicidal threats. The suspect was then shot and killed by fellow officers. The incident began in Fort Morgan, and officers from that city and Morgan County deputies initially pursued the vehicle towards the city of Greeley. The suspect’s identify was known, and no weapons had been seen. Weld County deputies joined the pursuit when the vehicle crossed into their jurisdiction, and later  state troopers, Evans, Greeley and Kersey PD officers joined the chase. As the suspect hit speeds up to 100 mph, the initial reason for the chase changed as dispatchers passed along the details. At one point, a dispatcher typed into CAD, “**Susp armed & Dangerous***Armed Robbery occurred in Morgan, 107 mph.” One hour and 22 minutes into the pursuit, the suspect’s vehicle gave out, and officers approached the vehicle and managed to drag the suspect from the vehicle. However, the report speculates that Brownlee may have not secured his pistol before engaging the suspect with other officers. The suspect grabbed Brownlee’s gun and fired three times, fatally injuring Brownlee. Download (pdf) the sheriff’s after-action report here, and read more about the incident here.