The Aurora, Colorado Police Department has reversed its policy of not pursuing suspects driving stolen vehicles, reinstating the ability for officers to engage in pursuits in a decision that reflects the community pressure generated by vehicle theft rates that escalated significantly during the period when the no-chase policy was in effect. The policy reversal acknowledges what critics of no-chase policies have consistently argued: that removing consequences for fleeing in a stolen vehicle effectively incentivizes the behavior and contributes to theft rates by reducing the risk of immediate capture for those who steal cars.
No-chase policies were implemented in numerous jurisdictions as a response to accidents involving pursuits, with the rationale that the danger of high-speed pursuits to innocent bystanders outweighs the benefit of capturing fleeing suspects. Critics countered that the unintended consequence of these policies was emboldening vehicle thieves who could steal cars with confidence that refusing to stop would end the law enforcement encounter. Aurora’s reversal suggests that local officials found the crime rate impact of the no-chase policy to be an unacceptable tradeoff, and the change will be closely monitored to assess whether it produces the intended deterrent effect on vehicle theft.
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