According to SOP 12.1.6, which statement about hot pursuit is correct?

• A. LMPD officers may leave the county only in hot pursuit
• B. LMPD officers may pursue across county lines freely without policy constraints
• C. Hot pursuit must be approved by a judge for each crossing
• D. Hot pursuit is prohibited.

Answer: (A)

In hot pursuit, the pursuit itself creates a limited exception to normal jurisdiction boundaries. The policy allows an officer to continue chasing a suspect across county lines only when the pursuit is active and necessary to prevent the suspect’s escape. That makes leaving the county permissible specifically because the chase is in progress and requires immediate action, not for ordinary crossing or after the chase ends.

So this option aligns with that idea: officers may leave the county only in hot pursuit. The other statements conflict with how hot pursuit is intended to function. Crossing county lines freely without policy constraints ignores the need for accountability and coordination with other jurisdictions. Requiring judge approval for each crossing misstates how hot pursuit operates, since it is an emergency exception that does not require pre-authorization for every move. And saying hot pursuit is prohibited contradicts the purpose of the doctrine, which exists precisely to allow immediate action to prevent escape.