MILWAUKEE - The Fire and Police Commission found a significant increase in vehicle pursuits in their 2017 report.
The FPC released the 2017 Vehicle Pursuit Report, which includes statistics in order to make the public aware of the frequency of pursuits.
According to the study, the US Justice Department referred to vehicle pursuits as "possibly the most dangerous of all ordinary police activities." Vehicle pursuits include fleeing from an officer as well as refusing to stop.
In 2017, MPD were involved in 369 vehicle pursuits, the largest amount dating back to at least 2002. This was a 21 percent increase from 2016's findings.
Part of the reason for the increase was a change to police policy, allowing officers to engage in pursuits if a vehicle is recklessly driving.
There was also a high number of high-speed chases where cars reached speeds of over 75 miles per hour.
The study did see some decreasing trends compared to previous years. The report found decreases in chases that resulted in accidents, overall percentage of vehicles fleeing from traffic stops, and pursuits that lead to injuries.
The study found almost half of the subjects were aged 18 or younger.
The report will be presented at the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners meeting on April 19 at 5:30 p.m.
