NYPD Car Chases Drop by 66% in First Weeks of Policy Shift
NYPD vehicle pursuits have dropped by two-thirds in the two weeks since Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a policy to restrict their use, she said yesterday.
Restrictive Pursuit Policy Implemented
The revised policy, announced January 15, but not set to be fully implemented until Saturday, limits pursuits to cases of suspected felonies or violent misdemeanors. Traffic violations are no longer grounds for officers to pursue fleeing vehicles. The reversal followed reporting by THE CITY that found vehicle pursuits were connected to more than a crash per day in 2024, and that deaths and injuries had mounted since a more aggressive policy of chasing vehicles was instituted in late 2022.
Justification for Policy Change
"The advanced tools of modern day policing make it possible to apprehend criminals more safely and effectively than ever before," Tisch said at her State of the NYPD speech in midtown Manhattan Thursday, justifying the policy change.
New Approach to Police Deployment
Tisch also announced a new hyper-local approach to police deployment that focuses on smaller "zones" within precincts — such as a recent initiative targeting crime-rich stretches of Roosevelt Ave in Queens — and an overhaul to the department’s approach to quality of life enforcement.
Quality of Life Enforcement
Quality of life enforcement was the primary focus of the Community Response Team, run by then Chief of Patrol John Chell and Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry, which has earned a reputation of being both overly aggressive and secretive. "For too long, we asked our cops to correct these conditions without sufficient direction. No more," said Tisch, who didn’t mention the Community Response Team by name and who in December promoted Chell to chief of department.
New Quality of Life Division
Tisch said in the coming months she’ll establish a Quality of Life Division headed by a new chief, with officers in precincts assigned to so-called "Q-teams" that respond specifically to quality of life complaints from the public. She also vowed to restore the department’s headcount to 35,000 uniformed officers.
Conclusion
The policy shift and new initiatives aim to address the concerns surrounding vehicle pursuits and quality of life enforcement, prioritizing public safety and community trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the new policy on vehicle pursuits?
The revised policy limits pursuits to cases of suspected felonies or violent misdemeanors, and no longer allows officers to pursue fleeing vehicles for traffic violations. - What is the new approach to quality of life enforcement?
The department is establishing a Quality of Life Division, with officers in precincts assigned to "Q-teams" that respond specifically to quality of life complaints from the public. - Why was the Community Response Team discontinued?
The department is re-evaluating its approach to quality of life enforcement, and the Community Response Team is no longer a focus of the department’s efforts.
