Rally held for police pursuit safety as Milwaukee leaders set to discuss policy
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than a dozen people showed up at the intersection of 35th and Vliet Monday night to rally in support of police chase safety. Their main message: police need to use as much caution as possible before pursuits start.
The Milwaukee Police Department updated their pursuit policy in February after a series of deadly crashes in 2025.
Under the new policy, officers can't initiate a reckless driving pursuit based on speed alone, and officers won't be disciplined for ending a chase. But many people still want tighter rules.
"I want to have a safe police pursuit policy that has restrictions, where we're not chasing people for minor things, only for violent crime," protester Tiffany Stark said.
The Milwaukee Common Council is scheduled to discuss the Fire and Police Commission's recommendations to MPD's current pursuit policy Tuesday night.
The FPC wants to prohibit chases for "reckless driving that is observed after an attempted traffic stop." They also want officers to end pursuits if it "increases the danger to the public."
But Police Chief Jeffrey Norman declined to make those changes, saying in a letter, "At this time, MPD intends to maintain its current policy."
Alders will begin their meeting Tuesday morning.