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What is Milwaukee's police chase policy?
Milwaukee police pursuits spiked after a 2017 policy change aimed at curbing reckless driving and people are starting to question policies.
MILWAUKEE - Recent fatal police pursuits in Milwaukee are raising new questions about when and why officers should initiate high-speed chases.
This comes after the city's policy changed several years ago.
Policy changes
What we know:
Recent fatal police pursuits in Milwaukee are raising new questions about when and why officers should initiate high-speed chases — especially after the city's policy changed several years ago.
Last month, two people were killed in separate incidents involving suspects fleeing from police. And just this week, a teen driver died, and two officers were injured after a chase ended in a fiery crash.
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Milwaukee’s current chase policy was expanded in 2017 to allow officers to pursue drivers involved in reckless driving. The goal was to curb the surge of dangerous driving behavior on city streets.
Milwaukee crash, fire after chase; teen dead, officers hospitalized
A Milwaukee police chase ended with a fiery crash that killed the teen driver and sent two officers to the hospital on Wednesday night, Aug. 6.
But that change also led to a dramatic rise in chases — from 369 in 2017 to 974 in 2024, according to the city’s Fire and Police Commission.
What they're saying:
"It’s all caused by the person that takes that decision to flee from the police and not know the consequences," said Jonathan Farris, founder of the Wisconsin-based group Pursuit for Change.
Farris knows the pain of police chases all too well. His 23-year-old son Paul was killed in a crash involving a driver fleeing a trooper after an illegal U-turn.
"You try really hard to just keep the good memories," Farris said. "The challenge is, even the good memories bring sadness."
In 2015, Farris launched Pursuit for Change. The Wisconsin-based organization advocates for better policies surrounding police pursuits.
"This doesn’t stop," he said. "In Milwaukee, it’s happening every year."
Is the risk worth it?
Dig deeper:
According to a recent audit by the Fire and Police Commission, 15% of all vehicle pursuits in the first half of 2023 resulted in a crash.
The Milwaukee Police Association defends the current policy, pointing to the responsibility of those who flee.
"It’s not a result of a chase, [it’s] the result of not stopping for the police," said MPA President Alex Ayala. "I don’t think it's not should we consider stopping chases. The real question is, we should just obey the law and stop so you wouldn’t have a chase."
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It leaves some wondering is the risk worth the reward?
"Could I die because a car is doing 100 mph, running away from the police because they did an illegal U-turn?" he asked. "I don’t know how you can say that should ever happen."
Advocates call for stricter policies
Local perspective:
Pursuit for Change continues to push for policies that prioritize the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and law enforcement alike.
For more information on the organization, visit Pursuit for Change's website.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.