LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recently revised its pursuit policy, expanding the situations where officers can chase suspects on Las Vegas valley streets.
When police chase a vehicle with lights flashing and a siren wailing, most people likely believe officers have a good reason. But with a revised pursuit policy now in place, those chases could be happening more on the streets.
“At the end of the day, we are the police, and we have to catch the bad guys,” said Steve Grammas, president of Las Vegas Police Protective Association.
2024 policy limited pursuits
FOX5 Investigates obtained LVMPD’s 2024 pursuit policy. Under that policy, officers could pursue a violent felony or a suspect who is a clear and immediate danger to the public.
That policy clearly banned pursuits for property crime, traffic infractions, or stolen vehicles.
“That sent a bad message to the bad guys that ok if I take off from the cops, they aren’t going to follow me,” Grammas said.
LVMPD revised its policy in April 2026.
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The new version expands on when officers can chase. It now adds stolen vehicles and DUI drivers.
“You talk to a lot of people and they are kind of happy to see us chasing bad guys again. I’ve been here a long time in this agency and when I came on we chased people all the time. It set a tone that the bad guys are not going to get away from the cops. We kind of got away from that,” Grammas said.
Pursuit data shows crash risks
Data shows Metro conducted 51 pursuits in 2024. Twenty out of 22 of those crashes ended with injuries, with some involving innocent bystanders, according to the data.
Grammas expects that issue to be addressed with another revision, but he stands by the changes the department has made thus far.
When asked about public concern of putting the public at more risk if there are more pursuits happening with the categories changed, Grammas acknowledged the concern.
“Sure, no doubt. We are not chasing people who stole from 7/11 or stole your bike; these are mostly violent folks who are extreme danger to the community, so the need to apprehend far outweighs what could happen. Of course, we don’t want our citizens to be involved in car accidents and things like that,” he said.
Grammas said prosecuting stolen vehicle cases without catching suspects in the car is difficult.
“Once you lose them from the car, trying to get the DA to prosecute the possession of stolen vehicle case, when you don’t have them in the car, is probably not going to happen,” he said.
He said DUI drivers pose a serious threat.
“The drunks that are out there are going to kill someone – potential for a violent felon, a robber- they have victims all along the streets as they are driving,” he said.
Technology and future revisions
Grammas said their hope is to incorporate more technology and safer methods to stop a car, such as a grappler, without having to chase it.
“The sheriff’s thing is to stop them quick,” Grammas said.
Grammas said union members and Metro leadership are set to discuss some revisions in a meeting next month. He said public safety remains their top priority, which means keeping criminals off the streets.
FOX5 Investigates asked to discuss the changes with Metro’s leadership team, but the request was denied.
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