MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police Department documents show the department is implementing new restrictions on vehicle pursuits following a record year of pursuit-related deaths, with changes set to take effect in two weeks.
The policy changes come after nine people died in police chases last year, including Beverly Fair, who was killed when a reckless driver fleeing police ran a stop sign and crashed into her car.
"My mother was an absolute light," said Jazmen Fair, Beverly's daughter. "After something like this happens, it throws you into the reality of how dangerous this is."
New MPD data shows there were 970 chases last year in Milwaukee, with 76% initiated for reckless driving.
Under the new standard operating procedure, vehicle speed alone will no longer be sufficient grounds for officers to initiate a pursuit for reckless driving. Officers must also witness failure to stop at a red light, a crash into another car, or actions that force another driver to take quick action to avoid a crash.
Watch: Calls for caution meet calls for consequence as MPD tightens pursuit rules
Additional policy changes require officers to consider whether to initiate or continue a chase if they see children in the vehicle. Officers will also no longer face discipline for calling off a pursuit on their own due to safety concerns.
"I do support the change because it gives the officers who are out there in real-time the ability to decipher if this chase is worth it," Fair said.
However, the changes face opposition from some community advocates. Jeanne Lupo, who runs the court watch group Enough is Enough, believes any driver who flees should be held accountable.
"What happens when you let them go? You let them go and they crash into somebody anyway," Lupo said.
Lupo's organization monitors criminal pursuit cases in Milwaukee County, and she views the policy changes as a reaction to public outcry over last year's deaths.
"I would think that's the reaction. I would think that there was a lot of outcry, there was a lot of public pushback on that," Lupo said.
The Milwaukee Police Department declined to provide comment on the policy changes, which were revealed during a Fire and Police Commission meeting.
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