New York Attorney General Letitia James has released a detailed report and proposed a set of reforms aimed at curbing the risks associated with police vehicle pursuits, calling for change to ensure public safety on the roads for drivers, passengers, and police officers alike.
The findings, which highlight the often deadly consequences of high-speed police chases, suggest that from 1996 to 2015, an average of 355 people died each year in pursuit-related crashes, data obtained from the Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reveals and in response, James has advocated for a statewide legislative move to increase transparency and accountability by requiring law enforcement agencies to track and publish pursuit data, as reported by the Attorney General's Office.
Surrounding jurisdictions have already taken steps towards moderating enforcement practices, setting precedents for New York to consider; Milwaukee, for instance, has restricted pursuit initiation to instances where there is probable cause for a violent felony, a policy shift resulting from a series of fatalities linked to pursuits.
James's proposal includes a ban on high-speed chases with narrow exceptions, recognizing the potential need for such measures in serious or violent felonies or when a driver's behavior presents an immediate threat of death, to help prevent the harm these chases can inflict on drivers, passengers, civilians, and officers.
Enforcement of these recommendations falls under the purview of three bureaus within the Attorney General's Office, dedicated to curbing law enforcement misconduct and elevating public safety standards, with the report authored by the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office (LEMIO) and the Civil Rights Bureau (CRB), drawing attention to the need for systemic change in how pursuits are managed in the state of New York.
