Atlanta police chief briefs council on chase policy

ATLANTA - The top cop in the city of Atlanta said a revised vehicle pursuit policy will allow his officers to do what they are supposed to do -- enforce the law.

Chief Rodney Bryant briefed members of the Atlanta City Council after citizens, by and large, spoke out against that command decision.

One resident who participated in the remote meeting, phoned in to say that he and two members of his family got injured from a law enforcement pursuit more than a decade ago.

"It changed our lives forever," the resident said.

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Bryant told the city council that up until now, his officers who may have witnessed wrongdoing were left in a posture of watching suspects flee. They then typically radioed the communications center to make a request for state officers to track down and stop the fleeing vehicle.

Bryant said he revised the policy, stopped in 2019 by the former chief following fatal accidents, to "make it as restrictive as possible".

Officers are not allowed to chase for simple property crimes. Instead, they have to conduct pursuits for "forcible felonies".

And, Bryant added, a supervisor must give the green light beforehand and a maximum of three police cruisers can take part.