Under the new policy, Michigan State Police members may only engage in a vehicle pursuit if there is probable cause to believe the driver or occupant of the pursued vehicle has committed a life-threatening or violent felony.
According to Col. James F. Grady II with the MSP, high-speed pursuits are one of the most dangerous circumstances officers encounter. He says a key consideration in any pursuit must be the seriousness of the underlying crime and whether the risks of a pursuit outweigh the public safety benefits of immediately apprehending the suspect.
According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, crashes occur in at least 30% of vehicle pursuits, and injuries or fatalities occur in 15 to 17% of pursuits.
In 2022, MSP members engaged in 235 pursuits. In 2023, that number rose by one to 236. So far in 2024, officers have been involved in 33 pursuits.
Col. Grady says protecting lives - that of innocent bystanders, officers and fleeing suspects - is of paramount importance, and the reason the policy has been revised.
The policy change is effective immediately.