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MPD report: 957 vehicle pursuits in 2024, many at high speeds; one third‑party death recorded
Summary
The Fire and Police Commission heard a 2024 vehicle pursuit report noting 957 pursuits, a high proportion of pursuits reaching top speeds above 75 mph, policy changes over the last decade and ongoing oversight through a newly formed MPD vehicle pursuit committee.
Barbara Cooley, FPC research and policy analyst, presented the Milwaukee Police Department’s 2024 vehicle pursuit report to the Fire and Police Commission Oversight and Accountability Committee on May 20, saying the number of pursuits in 2024 was 957 and that many reached high top speeds. “Speeds greater than 75 miles per hour were up to 71% of all pursuits in 2024,” Cooley said.
The report traces policy changes in MPD’s SOP 660. Cooley summarized the policy evolution: in March 2010 the city required probable cause that a violent felony had occurred or was about to occur; in June 2015 the policy was revised in response to carjackings; and in September 2017 the department allowed pursuits related to in‑car drug dealing and reckless driving. Cooley said the shifts in policy and enforcement correlate with changes in pursuit counts over time.
Key statistics the presentation cited for 2024 include: - Total initiated pursuits: 957. - Pursuits where the pursued vehicle was reported stolen: 345 (36.1% of pursuits). - Pursuits that reached maximum speeds over 100 mph: 271 incidents. - Share of pursuits with maximum speeds greater than 75 mph: about 71%.
The report showed a decline in pursuit-related accidents as a share of pursuits (32% in 2024, down from 47% in 2007) and reported injuries and fatalities: Cooley said the report recorded subject injuries, third‑party injuries and officer injuries and noted one third‑party death in 2024. Assistant Chief Sarno, MPD, told commissioners that the pursuits resulted in 470 arrests in the period referenced and that many pursuits are for offenses that will result in charges beyond citations.
The report noted operational patterns: pursuit frequency was higher in late evening hours and was concentrated in certain police districts (District 7 had the highest number of pursuits in 2024). Median age of pursuit subjects has declined over time; Cooley said that since about 2014 the median age was in the 18–21 range.
Committee members discussed practice and oversight. Commissioners asked about comparisons to national best practices (the Police Executive Research Forum, PERF), and Cooley said MPD was roughly 79% compliant with PERF’s recommendations when the department’s practices were compared to the PERF guide. The committee heard that MPD formed a vehicle pursuit committee that reviews outliers and officers with unusually high pursuit counts; the first community meeting for that committee took place in February, and the committee meets biannually.
Commissioners raised questions about cross‑jurisdiction pursuits (whether pursuits that start in another jurisdiction and cross into Milwaukee are tracked by MPD). Cooley said MPD tracks its own pursuits and does not count pursuits initiated by other agencies unless those agencies request MPD involvement; commissioners discussed the limits of that approach and the potential for interagency coordination.
The committee discussed interventions and policy levers. The chief’s office and AC Sarno described that policy changes — such as a June rule change that limited some drug‑related pursuits to investigations with substantive ties — coincided with a drop in drug‑related pursuits. The committee did not adopt new policy during the meeting; department staff said the vehicle pursuit committee and SOP 660 compliance reviews remain the principal oversight mechanisms going forward.
