Under what condition may an officer initiate a pursuit?

An officer may initiate a pursuit under the condition of reasonable suspicion of a serious crime because this level of suspicion is a legal threshold that justifies further action. Reasonable suspicion arises when an officer observes behavior that is consistent with criminal activity or other indicators that a serious crime may be taking place. This allows the officer to believe that an individual may be involved in a criminal act, making it appropriate to pursue the suspect to prevent further criminal behavior, ensure public safety, or apprehend the individual for questioning or arrest.

In contrast, initiating a pursuit for a minor traffic violation would not typically warrant the risks associated with a pursuit, as these situations generally do not involve immediate or serious threats to public safety. Similarly, pursuing a suspect solely based on suspicion without an established link to a serious crime could be seen as an overreach of authority without sufficient justification. Finally, a pursuit based on a personal feeling of being threatened does not align with established legal standards for initiating a pursuit, which must be based on observable facts rather than subjective feelings.