Qualitative analysis of the policies focuses on factors that justify pursuit, physical operation of the police vehicle, circumstances of operation, and external factors. The policies are also rated quantitatively on a continuum ranging from allowing officer a great deal of discretion in deciding whether or not to pursue a fleeing vehicle to discouraging all pursuit except as a last resort. The analysis of the 71 pursuit policies finds wide variation in the elements covered and in the intent of the policies. Despite these variations, policies can be coded along a five-point continuum with reasonable reliability: 1) Judgment: pure (officer is cautioned only against unreasonable or disproportionate danger to the public); 2) Judgment: limited (officer is made aware of close supervision over decisionmaking); 3) Restrictive: mild (some clear guidelines on when not to pursue); 4) Restrictive: severe (burden of proof to justify the pursuit is on the officer); and 5) Discouraged (pursuits must meet narrow guidelines). Most of the policies, whether they are rated as pure judgment or as restrictive, indicate a number of factors to be considered by the officer (for example, traffic flow, visibility, and road conditions). The result is a great deal of leeway for training and supervision to influence how policy is implemented. 64 references and 2 tables