Each subject was provided a questionnaire that included chase scenarios. The scenarios encompassed various factors that typically influence the decision to pursue a suspect; factors were related to the broad categories of need to apprehend (severity of offense and dangerousness of suspect) and risk factors (chase area, weather conditions, and traffic conditions). Subjects were asked to imagine that they, or a police officer, initiated a traffic or felony stop and that the suspect refused to pull over and actively attempted to flee and avoid apprehension. Respondents answered with a "yes" or "no" regarding whether pursuit should be undertaken. The police supervisors were most likely to initiate pursuit under a given scenario, and the students (citizens) were least likely to begin a pursuit. The police recruits were more likely than the students to undertake a pursuit, but they were less likely than the police supervisors. Police supervisors emphasized the need to enforce the law immediately and apprehend the suspect; whereas, the students gave higher priority to public safety that might be endangered by a high-speed pursuit. Police agencies must take into account public perceptions of public safety priorities as well as the need to apprehend suspects when they adopt pursuit policies. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 14 references