A police car crashed as it raced to a reported sighting of a gun.
It collided with a civilian car and hit railings at the junction of North Road and Marlborough Place, Brighton, shortly before 5.30pm on Monday.
No-one was seriously hurt but the driver of the other car may face prosecution.
The officers were on their way to Hangleton, where a member of the public reported seeing some boys with a gun.
Other units did arrive there and search the area but neither a gun nor any boys were found.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Subsequent inquiries suggest that this was youths playing although obviously we could not be sure of that at the time.
“We fully suspect that it was play.”
The police car which crashed was carrying two constables, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, when it collided with a silver Ford Focus estate.
It is not known how fast the police car was travelling when the crash happened.
The car was finally recovered about 20 minutes later.
The two drivers were both unhurt.
The constable who was not driving suffered slight back and shoulder injuries.
Passers-by said the front passenger side of the car was damaged.
One 31-year-old onlooker, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was in the middle of the road with loads of coppers around it.
“It is not something you see every day. It’s lucky nobody was more seriously hurt.”
Sussex Police said the 52-year-old Ford driver, from Redhill, is likely to be investigated on suspicion of driving without due care and attention.
It is understood the driver of the police car has not been refused permission to continue driving for work.
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