In a move that appears to signal a shift toward prioritizing safety, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has rolled out a new policy for the department tightening the rules on vehicle

New York City’s police department is cracking down on high-speed chases after finding that about one-quarter of more than 2,200 initiated last year led to a collision, property damage, physical harm or death.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced on Wednesday a new policy for Police Department vehicle pursuits.

The NYPD clarified its policy in 2023 after car chases increased. John Chell — who was previously the chief of patrol but is currently the chief of department — championed the old policy at the time, saying that officers were good at vehicle pursuits. "People thinking they can take off on us, those days are over,” he said at the time.

In December, we reported that the number of car chases by New York Police Department officers skyrocketed under Mayor Eric Adams, accompanied by a rise in the crash rate for NYPD vehicles. Increasingly,

The NYPD will change its policy on vehicle pursuits, Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Wednesday. Under the new policy, officers can only pursue a vehicle for the most serious and violent crimes, such as felonies and violent misdemeanors.