Aurora Police Department updates pursuit policy to include stolen vehicles, suspected DUI drivers
The Aurora Police Department has implemented a revised Pursuit Policy to address public safety concerns. APD says the modifications will enhance the department's ability to hold offenders accountable for criminal activities, such as car theft and driving under the influence.
Pursuits are now authorized under the following circumstances:
- The suspect has committed or is committing a felony and presents a serious risk to public safety if not immediately apprehended.
- The suspect has committed or is committing a crime involving a firearm that poses a serious threat of harm to the public.
- The suspect is driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI/DWI).
- The suspect is driving a motor vehicle that has been confirmed stolen.
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain says the changes aim to strike a balance between enforcing the law and ensuring the safety of both officers and the community.
"Historically, the pursuit was instituted or initiated on the basis of an act of violence, so a crime of violence, and then they were in a vehicle," Chamberlain said. "However, that left out a large number of other people who had been victimizing the community and were not held accountable in any way.
If an officer suspects a driver is intoxicated or notices a vehicle swerving dangerously, they can now engage in pursuit if the driver flees. The policy extension also covers stolen vehicles, ensuring that those responsible for car thefts face consequences.
"If an officer felt that somebody was driving under the influence, if they got behind them, if they activated their lights, if the person said, 'You know what, I'm not stopping, I'm going to get home,' and if they accelerate away, the officers could not do anything to stop that," Chief Chamberlain explained.
Chamberlain emphasized that the decision to engage in a pursuit isn't made lightly. One of the most important concerns when it comes to pursuing suspects is ensuring that the safety of bystanders, suspects and officers is not compromised.
Last year, Oliver Gongora was killed during the pursuit of a stolen car. The suspect lost control and crashed into his vehicle. Chamberlain says the broader policy does not mean reckless chases.
Since 2019, APD has engaged in 140 pursuits. Chamberlain says 96% resulted in no injuries or minor injuries to the public. He also pointed out that there were no pedestrian injuries in any of the 140 pursuits since 2019 under the previous policy.
Since 2019, there've been 571 incidents that involved death or injuries related to impaired drivers.
"That is the question that we have to ask when we talk about risk aversion. Is it a bigger risk to let this person just continue to drive and continue to impact 571 other lives because we didn't want to step forward? That's always the balance, and it's not easy. It's an incredibly complex situation without question," said Chamberlain.
Continuous risk assessment is mandated throughout a pursuit, taking into consideration factors such as traffic conditions, time of day and the severity of the offense.
He says the department is committed to closely monitoring the outcomes of these policy changes. Supervisors will actively monitor pursuits, provide guidance and make decisions to terminate them when the risks outweigh the benefits.
