(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/15/2024) The Michigan State Police will only engage in a high-speed chase if there is probable cause to believe the driver or occupant of the pursued vehicle has committed a life-threatening or violent felony, under a policy change announced Thursday.
MSP Col. James F. Grady II said the new policy aligns its pursuit policy with “best practices” that will protect the lives of innocent bystanders and our enforcement members.”
“High-speed pursuits are one of the most dangerous circumstances police officers face,” Grady said. “A key consideration in any pursuit must be the seriousness of the underlying crime and whether the risks of a pursuit outweigh the public safety benefits of immediately apprehending the suspect.”
The move comes amid pressure from urban leaders that the MSP was following their own tune, regardless of the location. The city of Detroit changed its policy around eight years ago and, at the time, then-Rep. Sheldon Neeley was critical of the MSP for not following suit.
He said too many people were put at risk by high-speed chases through urban streets.
Thursday, as the mayor of Flint, Neeley praised the MSP for “aligning its thinking with the greater public.”
“I commend and applaud this decision by the MSP commander,” he said of the “long overdue” decision. “I stand with him 100 percent on this new initiative.”
In 2022, MSP members engaged in 235 pursuits; this number increased by one to 236 pursuits last year. So far this year, MSP members have been involved in 33 pursuits.
Nationally, on average, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, crashes occur in at least 30 percent of vehicle pursuits, and injuries or fatalities occur in 5 to 17 percent of pursuits.
MSP’s revised policy aligns with recommendations from the Police Executive Research Forum in its 2023 report, “Vehicular Pursuits: A Guide for Law Enforcement Executives on Managing the Associated Risks.”
