Police officers in the Seattle area are using a new driving technique in pursuit cases that promises a quicker end to chases and less likelihood of accidental collisions that can injure or kill, the Seattle Times reports. PIT – an acronym for Pursuit Immobilization Technique – has its origins with the California Highway Patrol in the 1970s, but has become popular with other agencies that consider it a safe alternative to ramming a car off the road or using spike strips to puncture a suspect’s tires.
In a PIT pursuit, the officer manuvers the patrol car next to the suspect’s vehicle and gives a nudge to its rear end, sending it into an about-face spin and locking up the car’s engine and transmission.
Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003230919_pit28m.html