Number
260225
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
FPC212429
Sponsor
ALD. MOORE, DIMITRIJEVIC
Title
Motion modifying Milwaukee Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 660 - Vehicle Pursuits and Emergency Vehicle Operations and 575 - Video Release Policy.
Analysis
This motion modifies Milwaukee Police Department Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 660 - Vehicle Pursuits and Emergency Vehicle Operations. Under the current SOP, department members may engage in vehicle pursuits for reckless driving observed either before or after an attempted traffic stop. This motion modifies the SOP to prohibit department members from engaging in vehicle pursuits for reckless driving when the reckless driving is observed only after an attempted traffic stop. It also requires department members to terminate a pursuit of a reckless driver if continuing the pursuit would increase the danger to the public. In addition, the motion clarifies the existing policy that a vehicle pursuit may not be initiated, or must be terminated, when the only known reason for the attempted stop is an ordinance violation or misdemeanor, unless the SOP otherwise allows the pursuit.
The motion further modifies Milwaukee Police Department SOP 575 - Video Release Policy by requiring the conditional release of video evidence for vehicle pursuits involving death or great bodily harm.
Body
Whereas, Vehicle pursuits have been characterized by the United States Department of Justice as “possibly the most dangerous of all ordinary police activities”; and
Whereas, Vehicle pursuits by the Milwaukee Police Department have significantly increased since 2017, reaching yearly average totals of 974 pursuits between 2018 and 2025; and
Whereas, These totals represent more than a threefold increase compared to the average number of pursuits during the previous three years; and
Whereas, In 2025, 33% of vehicle pursuits by the Milwaukee Police Department involved vehicle crashes; and
Whereas, In 2025, vehicle pursuits by the Milwaukee Police Department involved injuries to individuals in 222 incidents, including 156 incidents where a pursuit subject or their passengers were injured, 53 incidents where third-parties were injured, and 13 incidents where department members were injured; and
Whereas, In 2025, vehicle pursuits by the Milwaukee Police Department included 6 incidents involving a total of 9 fatalities, including 6 third-party fatalities, 2 fatalities of passengers in a subject vehicle, and 1 subject fatality; and
Whereas, Seven of the 9 fatalities referred to above (all third-party or passenger-related) occurred during pursuits for reckless driving, including 4 fatalities that appear to have occurred during pursuits for reckless driving that first occurred after the attempted traffic stop; and
Whereas, Approximately two-thirds of all vehicle pursuits by the Milwaukee Police Department are now for reckless driving; and
Whereas, Multiple experts in the field, including the Police Executive Research Forum and the New York University School of Law Policing Project, recommend that vehicle pursuits for reckless driving be prohibited except in rare or exceptional circumstances; and
Whereas, The Milwaukee community has a strong and undeniable interest in being informed, in a complete, accurate, and timely manner, about officer-involved incidents that result in death or great bodily harm; and
Whereas, S. 62.50(3)(a), Wis. Stats., allows the Common Council to “suspend or modify any policy established [by the Chief of Police] upon a two-thirds vote of all the members of the common council”; and
Whereas, The Fire and Police Commission is charged with oversight of the Milwaukee Police Department, pursuant to s. 62.50, Wis. Stats., and Chapter 314 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances; and
Whereas, S. 62.50(1m), Wis. Stats., specifically provides that the Fire and Police Commission “may advise the common council regarding any recommended policy changes”; and
Whereas, Fire and Police Commission resolution FPC212429 recommends that either the Chief of Police or the Common Council modify SOP 660 - Vehicle Pursuits and Emergency Vehicle Operations, and SOP 575 - Video Release Policy in the manner detailed in the resolution; and
Whereas, The Chief of Police declined to implement the changes recommended by the Fire and Police Commission; now, therefore
It is moved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that Section 660.20(C) of Milwaukee Police Department Standard Operating Procedure 660 - Vehicle Pursuits and Emergency Vehicle Operations shall be modified as follows:
C. Vehicle pursuits are justified when the police member knows or has probable cause to believe:
1. The occupant(s) has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a violent felony (e.g., armed robbery, recklessly endangering safety, and other crimes against a person in which violence is an element to the felony offense); or
2. The specific vehicle was used in or taken during the attempt or commission of a violent felony (e.g., armed robbery, recklessly endangering safety, and other crimes against a person in which violence is an element to the felony offense); or
3. The vehicle or occupant(s) present a clear and immediate threat to the safety of others and therefore the necessity of immediate apprehension outweighs the level of danger created by the vehicle pursuit (e.g., misdemeanor shots fired incident in which a specific vehicle is described as being involved); or
4. The occupant(s) of the vehicle are engaged in drug dealing proximate in time to the initiation of the vehicle pursuit.
Note: This subsection is limited to only incidents in which the observed drug dealing is directly related to a substantive drug investigation or long term investigation. Members may initiate a vehicle pursuit under this subsection if the suspect flees while driving in a reckless manner after an attempted traffic stop or for a “refusal to stop” pursuit, as previously defined within this policy.
5. The [[necessity of immediate apprehension outweighs the level of danger created by the vehicle pursuit, as in the case of the vehicle engaging in reckless driving]] >>suspect’s driving prior to the attempted stop is so reckless that the driver would pose a substantial and unreasonable risk of death or great bodily harm to another if not apprehended<<.
Note: Members may initiate a vehicle pursuit for [[either (1)]] reckless driving observed by the member prior to the initiation of a traffic stop >>, but not solely for<< [[or (2) if the suspect vehicle flees while driving in a]] reckless >>driving observed<< [[manner]] after an attempted traffic stop [[for any state law or ordinance violation. However, vehicle]] >>. Vehicle<< speed in and of itself is not enough for a member to initiate a vehicle pursuit for reckless driving [[for either (1) or (2)]]. Members shall also have at least one [[of the following, but not limited to, factors]] >>additional factor<< present to initiate a vehicle pursuit for reckless driving [[(e.g.,]] >>, which demonstrates<< behaviors that show substantial and unreasonable risk of death or great bodily harm to another beyond just speeding [[ ) ]] >>. Examples of such factors include, but are not limited to<<:
1. Collisions with other vehicles or objects;
2. Forcing other vehicles to take evasive action to avoid collision;
3. Failure to stop at controlled intersections without slowing [[or stopping]].
>>Moreover, if the continuation of a pursuit for reckless driving increases the danger to the public, members shall terminate the pursuit.<<
>>6. A pursuit shall not be initiated or shall be terminated if the driver refuses to or fails to stop, and the only known reason for the attempted stop is an ordinance violation or misdemeanor (except as otherwise provided for in SOP 660.20(C)).<<
[[6]] >>7<<. A “refusal to stop” pursuit, as previously defined within this policy, may be initiated and maintained for a lesser offense than described above.
(WILEAG 6.1.3.2)
; and
It is further moved, That Milwaukee Police Department Standard Operating Procedure 575 - Video Release Policy shall be modified as follows:
575.00 PURPOSE
A. The purpose of this standard operating procedure (SOP) is to foster greater public trust in the Milwaukee Police Department by increasing transparency with respect to department operations involving the use of deadly force >>and vehicle pursuits<<. The department recognizes that the Milwaukee community has a strong and undeniable interest in being informed - in a complete, accurate, and timely manner - about >>officer-involved<< incidents that result in death or great bodily harm [[that is caused by a department member’s actions or occurs while in police custody]].
575.05 DEFINITIONS
>>E. VEHICLE PURSUIT
1. Eluding / Fleeing
An active attempt by one or more law enforcement officers to apprehend a suspect who is either an occupant of or operating a motor vehicle, during which time the operator of the motor vehicle is attempting to avoid capture by using high speed driving or other evasive tactics such as driving off a highway, or making sudden or unexpected maneuvers.
2. Refusal to Stop
An active attempt by one or more law enforcement officers to stop a motor vehicle by use of emergency lights and siren, during which time the operator of the motor vehicle is driving at a reasonable speed (e.g., at or below the established speed limit), but willfully refusing to pull over and stop.<<
575.15 RELEASE DEADLINE
A. The department shall release video evidence of the following types of incidents to the public within fifteen (15) days of the incident:
1. Any officer-involved death as defined in SOP 575.05(C);
2. Any other critical incident as defined in SOP 575.05(D); [[or]]
3. Any incident involving the death of a person where a department member discharges a firearm, even if the death was not the result of the firearm discharge by the department member [[ . ]] >>; or
4. Any vehicle pursuit as defined in SOP 575.05(E) involving great bodily harm to or the death of a person.<<
B. The release shall, at a minimum, consist of relevant video footage that depicts the actions and events leading up to and including the officer-involved death, other critical incident, >>vehicle pursuit,<< or death. Relevant video footage includes accompanying audio records.
575.25 VIDEO ALTERATIONS AND WITHHOLDINGS
E. In cases involving an officer-involved death >>, the<< [[or]] death of a person where a department member discharges a firearm >>, or the death of a person during an incident involving a vehicle pursuit<<, video footage may be redacted, edited, or withheld based upon requests from the person’s next of kin.
575.30 NOTIFICATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS
A. In cases involving an officer-involved death >>, the<< [[or]] death of a person where a department member discharges a firearm >>, or the death of a person during an incident involving a vehicle pursuit<<, the department shall make reasonable attempts to notify the person’s next of kin and provide them an opportunity to view the video footage within forty-eight (48) hours of the incident. This requirement does not apply to situations where reasonable suspicion exists that the next of kin was a witness to or otherwise involved in the incident, or where there is a particularized, specific risk that the disclosure would endanger the safety of a person (including a department member).
Requestor
Drafter
LRB181661-1
Dave Gelting
June 2, 2026