Milwaukee Police Chief Rejects Commission Bid to Curb Reckless Driving Chases

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – A stalemate has emerged between Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and the city’s Fire and Police Commission (FPC) after the chief formally declined to adopt proposed restrictions on police vehicle pursuits for reckless driving.

The FPC had sent a letter to Chief Norman last month recommending two key prohibitions: first, barring department members from engaging in vehicle pursuits for reckless driving that is observed after an attempted traffic stop, and second, requiring officers to end a pursuit for reckless driving if continuing would increase danger to the public.

The commission passed these recommendations on April 16th. In a letter sent April 27th, the FPC argued that “no pursuit doesn’t mean no accountability,” adding that vehicle pursuits “are not the only way or even the best way to address reckless driving, which is obviously a serious issue in Milwaukee.”

However, in his rebuttal issued tonight, Chief Norman stated that while the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) “appreciates the FPC’s thorough analysis and recommendations, it is not inclined to revise SOP 660 at this time.” The chief noted that when the department makes policy changes, it considers public comment, best practices, other large jurisdictions, Common Council feedback, and internal reviews.

The policy fight comes after a deadly 2025 in Milwaukee, where police chases killed nine people. The FPC specified that four of those individuals were killed in chases for reckless driving following a traffic stop — exactly the type of incident the proposed changes would restrict.

The department currently averages around 970 chases each year since adding reckless driving to pursuit policies in late 2017. Chief Norman has already changed policy this year to prohibit police from chasing for speeding alone.

With the chief’s rejection, the Milwaukee Common Council could now vote to implement the restrictions themselves. Alderman Scott Spiker, who leads the council’s Public Safety and Health Committee, is expected to be a key voice in that potential fight.