NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Wednesday announced a new police vehicle pursuit policy that would “make both the police and the public safer," according to The City.
The new policy restricts police officers to pursuits only in cases where felonies and violent misdemeanors are suspected. The NYPD may no longer pursue suspects in vehicles who commit traffic infractions, violations or other non-violent offenses, the news site reported.
The new rules also note that officers will not receive criticism or disciplinary action for terminating a pursuit for safety reasons.
“New York is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and our officers deserve clear guidance and smart protocols when determining whether to engage in a vehicle pursuit on our streets,” Tisch said in a statement. “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.”
The City had previous revealed that the NYPD was averaging one collision related to a vehicle pursuit per day in 2024 through November. That equates with 398 vehicle crashes preceded by police pursuits, resulting in at least 315 people injured.
The policy will go into effect in February, following training of all uniformed members of the force, the news site said.
