The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission unanimously approved a Milwaukee police chase policy to allow more pursuits for nonviolent offenses. In July, Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission directed Police Chief Ed Flynn to place fewer restrictions on chases for fear criminals were becoming too bold, especially drug dealers operating from cars known as rolling drug houses. The chief is bending to their wishes."It is a bit of a conundrum. Do you reduce reckless driving by engaging in high speed pursuits?" Flynn said. Many in the community have been waiting for this change for a long time, thinking it will make the streets and the city safer.Flynn tightened up the pursuit policy in 2010 after four innocent bystanders were killed in crashes as police pursued suspects. Chases have been less frequent in subsequent years because the policy only allowed officers to initiate a chase if they were known to have committed, or were in the process of committing a violent felony. Critics, including many on the Milwaukee Common Council have said that's tied the hands of officers in combating drug dealing and car thefts since most of those cases are not violent offenses."I think this policy does strike a balance between what the Fire and Police Commission and Common Council and various members of the community had expressed," said Marisabel Cabrera, who is on the Fire and Police Commission. Officers will still need to consider a range of factors, from road conditions to the recklessness of the other driver, when deciding whether to chase and for how long.

The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission unanimously approved a Milwaukee police chase policy to allow more pursuits for nonviolent offenses.

In July, Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission directed Police Chief Ed Flynn to place fewer restrictions on chases for fear criminals were becoming too bold, especially drug dealers operating from cars known as rolling drug houses.


The chief is bending to their wishes.

"It is a bit of a conundrum. Do you reduce reckless driving by engaging in high speed pursuits?" Flynn said.



Many in the community have been waiting for this change for a long time, thinking it will make the streets and the city safer.

Flynn tightened up the pursuit policy in 2010 after four innocent bystanders were killed in crashes as police pursued suspects.

Chases have been less frequent in subsequent years because the policy only allowed officers to initiate a chase if they were known to have committed, or were in the process of committing a violent felony.

Critics, including many on the Milwaukee Common Council have said that's tied the hands of officers in combating drug dealing and car thefts since most of those cases are not violent offenses.

"I think this policy does strike a balance between what the Fire and Police Commission and Common Council and various members of the community had expressed," said Marisabel Cabrera, who is on the Fire and Police Commission.



Officers will still need to consider a range of factors, from road conditions to the recklessness of the other driver, when deciding whether to chase and for how long.