MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee Police Department updated its policy to clarify tighter guidelines for foot pursuits, raising official standards for what justifies a chase.
The new policy, issued by Chief Jeffery Norman on April 16, states that officers may not pursue individuals on foot solely because they flee. The guidelines state there must be an articuable, reasonable suspicion that the subject committed a crime.
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The policy also states that during a foot pursuit, the officer must continuously assess the need to catch the suspect vs. the risk to officers, bystanders and the fleeing suspect.
“Members must act reasonably, based on all of the circumstances,” the policy reads.
It also affirms that officers are expected to stop the pursuit if conditions become unsafe or when they are ordered to do so by a supervisor. The guidelines state that excessive force cannot be used as a punishment if the suspect is captured.
The policy also encourages officers to consider other alternatives, such as a K-9 search, calling for law enforcement saturation of the area or surveillance and containment of the suspects. If a pursuit is initiated, the policy offers tactical guidelines, recommending officers not split from their partners and allowing reaction distance behind a suspect known to have a firearm.
“The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to create guidelines regarding the use of foot pursuits as foot pursuits are inherently dangerous. The Milwaukee Police Department must establish a balance between protecting the safety of the public and officers during pursuits on foot and law enforcement’s duty to enforce the law and apprehend suspects,” the policy reads.
