Oakland police chief proposes loosening rules on chasing suspects

Oakland's police chief on Thursday offered his proposals to change the police pursuit policy; he says it will improve the policy and thus, improve crime fighting tactics. 

Chief wants to loosen rules

What they're saying:

Police Chief Floyd Mitchell spoke at an Oakland Police Commission meeting, a the request of the Commission, according to an OPD spokesperson.

There, he suggested loosening some rules about when officers can chase a suspect. 

Specifically, he wanted to lift the current 50 mph threshold and allow officers to pursue suspects accused of property crimes, burglaries and involved in sideshows.

Currently, police are only allowed to pursue a suspect if there is reasonable suspicion that a person committed a violent forcible crime, or if there is probable cause to believe that a person has a gun. 

Mitchell said these are his initial thoughts, and he's open to other ideas. 

"These are proposed changes," Mitchell said. "And these are proposed changes without having the benefit to hear from all the stakeholders, all the community. And that's one of the things I think is important to make sure we give everyone the opportunity to go through the process and get that opportunity."

What community members think 

Edward Escobar, a former crime prevention officer for the Palo Alto Police Department. 

Edward Escobar, a former crime prevention officer for the Palo Alto Police Department, sided with the chief.

"These high speed pursuits are happening," Escobar said. "The CHP is doing it. It seems to be OK. They're doing it because Oakland isn't getting the liability. We need to look at it. It's already happening and they're getting results. We need to get results to deter crime."

He also took aim at the police commission, asking rhetorically, "Are we better off now" since the creation of the civilian-led oversight in 2016?

"Step up, or step off," Escobar said. 

Another resident wasn't so sure.

"I think you need to include pedestrian safety, and you need to look at the demographics in Oakland," the woman said. "There are a lot of people over 60 in Oakland like me, and these police pursuits put us at risk, and we have no recourse if we are killed." 

Millie Cleveland, a member of the Coalition of Police Accountability, told KTVU in an interview that she believes that the false "narrative being promoted is to have the community believe that the commission's oversight of the police is keeping them from doing their jobs." 

The debate over Oakland's police pursuit policy comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom heavily criticized the police commission for not making these changes sooner. The current policy is more than 10 years old, and Newsom said it limits officers from doing their jobs.

Commission lacks authority over chases

The other side:

Oakland Police Commission Chair Ricardo Garcia-Acosta. Jan. 23, 2025 

In a public statement, Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, chair of the police commission, outlined some of the history of the pursuit policy and the current stance of the commission. 

But he also said that the commission has no direct authority over the police pursuit policy as it does not address the use of force. 

Instead, the commission can provide comments on the policy and any proposed revisions. 

Timeline:

In May 2024, the city council asked the commission simply to recommend any possible changes to the policy.

 In July 2024, Newsom wrote to then-Mayor Sheng Thao to reconsider the chase policies at the behest of the CHP. 

And in the fall of 2024, commissioners decided to recommend pretty much keeping the status quo.

In order to officially change the police pursuit policy, the police chief must eventually get the sign-off of the union and the city attorney, and then the city council has the ultimate decision-making power. 

Garcia-Acosta said that the commission began researching national best practices of police pursuits following Newsom "joining the chorus of voices calling for changes" and that the research "clearly demonstrated" that an increase in high-speed chases would lead to more injuries and deaths among innocent bystanders.

Oakland police have mostly chased suspects on suspicion of carjacking, firing off a weapon, attempted robbery with a gun and murder, city statistics show. 

Oakland's statistics show that between 2018 and 2023, police have conducted 600 pursuits, 7% of which have resulted in injury, 46% of which resulted in property damage and 1% of which resulted in death.

Tragic death

Local perspective:

One of those deaths involved Lolomanaia "Lolo" Soakai, a 28-year-old man killed in a freak accident in 2022 while he was getting a meal with his mother at a taco truck on International Boulevard. 

Two police officers engaged in a non-authorized "ghost" chase of a 19-year-old who they said was at a sideshow. That suspect crashed into a row of cars and parked motorcycles, one of which flew into the air and toppled on Soakai, killing him. 

Comparing other cities

Big picture view:

The police commission's Office of Inspector General also compared Oakland policies to others across the country and found that OPD has the second-most restrictive police pursuit policy. Atlanta police have the strictest rules, according to this comparison.

Not only does Oakland's police pursuit policy only allow a chase for violent forcible crimes or the use of a gun, officers must also seek verbal approval from a supervisor, limit their speed to 50 mph, and disengage from the pursuit when a helicopter unit obtains a visual of the suspect. The policy still allows for maneuvers like spike strips and boxing in cars with supervisor approval and the appropriate training.

San Jose police have no maximum speed on chases and allow officers to pursue when "the violator is believed to be a violent felon who poses a significant, ongoing threat to public safety."

After Measure E passed in 2024, San Francisco changed its policies where police can now chase suspects for all felonies and violent misdemeanors. There is no maximum speed and pursuits do not need to be terminated once the helicopter can see the suspect.

In Los Angeles County, law enforcement can chase people for serious felonies and misdemeanors involving a gun, or when the driver is impaired, driving recklessly. No supervisory approval is needed to begin a pursuit and police can go 20 mph over the speed limit unless a violent felony is suspected.

In Fremont, police can chase burglary suspects. In Rochester, NY, police can be involved in drug-related pursuits. 

Will anything change? 

What's next:

The Oakland Police Commission didn't take any action at the meeting and there is no word on how soon, if any, changes would take effect. 

Oakland Police DepartmentNews