New York City police will not engage in speeding prosecutions of drivers who violate traffic laws or commit other low-level offenses, the Police Department said, in an effort to stop crashes that result in injuries. hard and death in America. the largest and most populous city.
A new policy prohibits officers from pursuing vehicles at will unless the drivers have committed a “very serious and violent crime,” a felony or misdemeanor, according to a police statement released Wednesday. .
“Our officers deserve clear guidance and smart protocols when deciding whether to engage in motor vehicle pursuits on our streets,” Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said in a statement. “The NYPD’s enforcement efforts should never put the public or police officers in harm’s way, and pursuing low-level violations and crimes is dangerous and unnecessary.”
The policy comes as New York’s streets struggle like never before, with drivers competing not only with each other, but with pedestrians and riders of electric motorcycles and bicycles. Congestion pricing has officials looking for drivers who have changed their license plates to avoid toll readers. And legal marijuana has caused chaos because the police have to fight high drivers, but how and when to arrest them.
The new rules, which take effect on February 1, are a major change in the way police work starting in 2022. That year, enforcement began to climb sharply as car thefts and complaints about illegal scooters and motorcycles destroying the roads of the department.
While cities like Boston, Washington and Chicago have maintained strict policies, New York has loosened the protocol, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington think tank.
“The NYPD is a department that has had stronger policies,” he said. “In the last couple of years, they haven’t been where most of the big cities are.”
The return to more restrictive policies is “significant,” Mr. Wexler said.
“New York is a crowded place,” he said. “You engage in a quick quest, preferably for something violent or deadly.”
Last year, there were 2,278 follow-ups by the police, according to the department’s report. A quarter led to collisions, property damage or bodily harm, police said. 67 percent of the collisions occurred after a driver fled the parking lot. Many of those prosecutions were not allowed under the new policy, police said.
Police continued to search for the vehicle despite the city paying hundreds of millions of dollars in fines. They also caused death.
Shasha Price, whose brother died in 2023 after colliding with his unmarked bicycle during a pursuit, said it was “too late for this policy now.” After the death of her brother Samuel Williams, his family received a bill for $3,429 claiming that Mr. Williams’ vehicle had “damaged city property.”
That bill has been canceled, Ms. Price said, but the family is suing. She wants to sue the police officer who hit her brother.
Ms. Price thinks it’s good that the new policy will “help other people,” she said. “But what about my family?”
Alexa Sledge, director of communications at Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group that tracks traffic deaths, called the change a major step toward reducing injuries and deaths and a “huge victory.”
“We are very hopeful,” he said, adding, “We hope that this change will happen in policy and implementation on the ground.”
The president of the Police Charity Association, Patrick Hendry, said in a statement that he appreciates the officers in his union getting more clarity.
“However,” he said, “it is the responsibility of the department to ensure that this policy is implemented so that there are no accidents to the police or the public.”
The department defended the swift prosecutions, saying they often lead to the arrest of people who have committed crimes such as robberies and shootings. In July 2023, John Chell, who was the chief of patrol at the time, said it was mandatory for officers to pursue dangerous drivers or vehicles with false or covered plates.
“You’re not going to be walking around this city recklessly, thinking that you can do whatever you want with your actions and commit crimes,” he said at a press conference on the same day. it’s a month. “People think they can get away with us: those days are over.”
But on Wednesday, Chell Chell, the department’s top uniform officer, expressed support for the change.
“Our main goal – every minute of every day – is to keep the people of this great city safe,” Chell said in a news release announcing the policy. “We need to prosecute criminals when appropriate and hold our hands when the risk to the public and the police is greater.”
The policy is consistent with recommendations outlined in a 2023 study by the Police Executive Research Forum, which researched the issue with the support of the Department of Justice. That study warned that “pursuits are dangerous activities that put the lives of officers, suspects and the public at risk.”
“In addition, the cost of property damage and litigation can be substantial,” the study said. “When a manhunt goes on and innocent bystanders are injured or killed, the public’s trust in the police is eroded.”
Mr. Wexler, the forum’s executive director, said he met with Commissioner Tisch about two weeks ago about the investigation and his concerns about how New York’s police are handling it.
“He recognized it as a problem,” he said.
According to New York’s new policy:
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Supervisors will be responsible for monitoring and directing pursuits and instructing them to stop if they reach high speeds in congested areas or near schools or playgrounds.
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Officials who stop the search for security reasons “will not be subject to criticism or punishment.”
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The technology will be used to keep a record of the search.
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There will be a monthly review to determine if the policy is being followed or needs to be improved.
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The police will make an annual report on the pursuit of the police.
Alain Delaquerière participated in the research.
