Milwaukee committee pauses review of police pursuit policy after extended data briefing

Milwaukee — The Public Safety and Health Committee on Oct. 2 heard a multi-hour briefing from the Milwaukee Police Department and the Fire and Police Commission about vehicle pursuit policy and related data, then agreed to hold the item to the call of the chair for further study.

Committee members, law enforcement leaders and the Fire and Police Commission discussed pursuit triggers, pursuit termination, and evolving technology for pursuit mitigation including stop-sticks, GPS-trackers and so-called grappler devices. Assistant Chief Craig Sarnow and Heather Huff, MPD chief of staff, outlined the department's current SOPs and promised a fuller presentation to the Fire and Police Commission in mid‑October for additional review.

The topic drew repeated references to recent fatal collisions in which third parties were killed during incidents involving vehicles that fled police. Leon Todd, executive director of the Fire and Police Commission, told the committee the commission has asked MPD for a comprehensive update that will include lessons learned from fatal pursuits and an assessment of possible policy changes and technology the department might adopt.

“Vehicle pursuits are very dangerous,” Sarnow said at the hearing, summarizing the department’s position. Huff said MPD is preparing more detailed data and analysis for the Oct. 16 Fire and Police Commission meeting and that she would share those materials with the council after that meeting.

Committee members pressed for specific data points, including how often pursuits are terminated by police, the number of pursuits that led to arrests, and how many pursuits resulted in injuries or deaths. MPD provided year‑to‑date figures during the hearing: 778 pursuits through Sept. 15, 2025, with 226 pursuits terminated by law enforcement during that time frame; the department said the number of pursuits in 2025 is higher than some recent years and that pursuits exceeding 75 mph have risen sharply over the last decade.

Several council members and the commission emphasized the need to explore alternative tools and mitigation technologies. MPD said it currently deploys tire‑deflation devices (stop‑sticks) and has studied prior GPS‑tracker pilots; the department said earlier GPS devices sometimes failed in winter conditions and that other technologies may require changing vehicle fleets or may not fit Milwaukee’s dense urban street grid.

Alderman Moore, one of the file sponsors, and other members pressed for a public schedule so the council can receive the full analysis and noted the public safety stakes on both sides — the danger made by pursuits and the harm of not apprehending people who commit violent crimes. Leon Todd said the FPC’s audit found a high rate of policy compliance in the sampled cases the commission studied and that the commission will report back with any suggested policy adjustments.

After extended questioning and an indication MPD will present a fuller data package to the FPC on Oct. 16, the committee voted to hold the file to the call of the chair so members could review the FPC presentation and any follow‑up materials. Chair Speicher said that if the data raises policy questions, the council and FPC have the statutory mechanisms to pursue changes.

The committee did not change the SOP at the Oct. 2 meeting. Members asked MPD and the FPC to provide additional analysis on: arrest outcomes for pursuits, the number and causes of third‑party fatalities linked to pursuits this year, a cost/benefit review of mitigation technologies (including grappler devices, stop sticks and adhesive GPS tags), and a breakdown of pursuits by initiating cause (reckless driving, violent felony, drug‑related, etc.).

The committee’s decision to hold the file means any formal policy changes would be preceded by additional public discussion, the FPC review and a follow‑up before the council acts.