NYPD Prepares for Restrictive Changes to Pursuit Policy

NYPD officers will no longer be allowed to chase after vehicles fleeing car stops under a new department-wide policy that only allows pursuits when a felony crime or a violent misdemeanor is committed, the department said Wednesday.

The new guidelines, effective Feb. 1, come amid rampant criticism over the last few years that the department routinely engages in unnecessary police pursuits that lead to crashes and injure other motorists and pedestrians.

Instead of following fleeing drivers responsible for traffic violations, the department will rely on “advanced tools of modern-day policing” to track down and apprehend the suspects, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, although she didn’t say what kind of tools will be used.

Police already utilize varying tracking techniques, including the use of drones and GPS trackers that can be fired and affixed to a fleeing vehicle.

“The NYPD’s enforcement efforts must never put the public or the police at undue risk, and pursuits for violations and low-level crimes can be both potentially dangerous and unnecessary,” Tisch said Wednesday, claiming that with these advanced tools, many pursuits will be “unnecessary.”

“Now, our cops will have clear, unambiguous parameters for when to initiate, continue, and terminate these pursuits. This new policy will also expand supervision over such pursuits and require more detailed and timely documentation when these pursuits occur,” she added. “These key changes will make both the police and the public safer and further improve the NYPD’s service to the city.”

Cops chased after 2,278 fleeing vehicles throughout the five boroughs last year. About 25%, or 569, ended in a collision that caused either property damage or harmed someone, the NYPD said. About 67%, or 1,526, were sparked by vehicles fleeing car stops.

Patrick Hendry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association said the union had ongoing concerns about its members engaging in police pursuits without proper guidance.

“We thank the department’s leadership for listening to our concerns regarding vehicle pursuits, and we welcome the additional clarity for our members on the streets,” Hendry said. “However, it will be up to the department to ensure that this policy is applied so that neither police officers nor the public are unnecessarily put at risk.”

Besides vehicles fleeing traffic stops, cops will be barred from following after cars fleeing traffic infractions or non-violent misdemeanors, officials said.

Before engaging in a pursuit, cops must take into account the area and determine if the chase will go through a densely populated residential area or pass a school or a playground.

Officers will not be disciplined if he disengages from a pursuit because he feels it would endanger the public, Tisch said.

Supervisors are also being ordered to keep better records on authorized pursuits and note the speed and actions of each NYPD vehicle on the hunt and be ready to request specialized units if needed.

Future pursuits will be reviewed on a monthly basis to make sure they comply with the new directives, officials said.

NYPD car chases have surged during the Adams administration as police tried to curtail the use of ghost cars — vehicles with fake license plates — since many of those cars are used in crimes, NYPD officials said.

“People thinking they can take off on us — those days are over,” NYPD Chief of Department John Chell said at a July 6, 2023, press conference back when he was chief of patrol.

While the policy shift has drawn criticism from police watchdogs who say the risks outweigh the potential upsides, the NYPD insists high-speed chases are sometimes necessary.

“Pursuing any car is inherently dangerous,” Chell said. “You’ve got to strike that balance [of] when you’re going to do it, how you’re going to do it … I tell bosses if you don’t think it’s a go, you call it off.”

Chell struck a different tone on Wednesday when announcing the new policy.

“Our overarching objective—every minute of every day—is to keep the people of this great city safe,” Chell said. “In order to do that, we need to pursue criminals when appropriate and stay our hand when the risks to the public and to our cops outweigh the benefits. Our revised policy strikes that critical balance and will make our city safer for police and our communities.”

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