Vehicle pursuits surge under new MPD policy

Milwaukee police vehicle pursuits surged to 369 in 2017 — the highest reported number since 2002 that comes after the department revised its pursuit policy last fall, according to a new Fire and Police Commission report.

This increase follows the Sept. 22 revision of an MPD vehicle pursuit policy. And pursuits this year are on pace to surpass the 2017 total.

Per policy changes, Milwaukee police can enter into pursuit if the vehicle is engaged in reckless driving or if the occupants of the vehicle are engaged in drug dealing.

“It’s a response to the community’s outcries about the reckless driving,” Fire and Police Commission Chairman Steven DeVougas said following the commission meeting on Thursday.

Milwaukee police previously limited pursuits to instances officers had probable cause that someone in the car was committing a violent felony or was “a clear and immediate threat to the safety of others” before pursuing the vehicle. The more restrictive policy was put in place by former Chief Edward Flynn after four people were killed by drivers fleeing police between Dec. 31, 2009, and March 1, 2010.

The 369 pursuits in 2017 was a 21% increase from the previous year, and, according to the pursuit report, the bulk of the increase is attributed to the policy change.

Of the pursuits in 2017, only 30% resulted in subject apprehension — the lowest number recorded since 2007.

There were 201 pursuits after the policy change in September, 51 of which were related to either reckless driving or drug dealing.

“I think reckless driving is a problem that many have recognized as a problem in our city, and it affects everyone,” Inspector Michael Brunson said about the report.

In 2018 so far, Milwaukee squads have engaged in 253 pursuits.

While the numbers for total pursuits have been increasingly higher, the number of pursuits resulting in an accident have gone down. In 2017, 23% of pursuits resulted in an accident, the lowest percentage since 2007.

The low number of accidents from vehicle pursuits is likely attributed to a higher number of officers canceling a pursuit when the situation is deemed too dangerous or pursuit speeds too high, Brunson said.

In 2017, almost half of the pursuits exceeded speeds of 75 mph.

Brunson said it will take time for the policy change to affect reckless driving in the city.

“We are collaborating with our other partners in the criminal justice realm and we will do what we can to make sure that whoever flees from the police have consequences because of that,” Brunson said.