SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Police Department on Friday is responding to recommendations made by the Commission on Police Practices on their pursuit policies.
SDPD Chief Scott Wahl was scheduled to address questions from the media at department headquarters at 1:30 p.m.
The policy review comes in response to multiple high-profile crashes, including the fatal crash that claimed the life of SDPD Officer Austin Machitar last summer.
Machitar was killed and his partner was critically injured after a high-speed pursuit ended in a deadly crash on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. The suspect they were pursuing also died in the incident.
Another devastating case occurred in 2023 when a high-speed chase resulted in the deaths of 4-year-old Mason and 8-year-old Malikai Orozco-Romero. Officers had attempted to pull over a driver who fled at a high speed, ultimately crashing into the vehicle carrying the two young boys.
Their family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of San Diego.
Community members continue to express their grief and frustration with the police department’s pursuit protocols.
Local activist Tasha Williamson shared her thoughts, saying, “Malikai and Mason were not just two boys on the street; they were two boys who were loved. Two boys that had a family that was committed to them and valued them, and the world was taken from all of their family members.”
A report analyzing SDPD pursuits over the past five years has revealed concerning statistics. More than 1,000 pursuits were initiated during that period, yet only 24% were related to felony crimes. The data also shows that over 200 pursuits resulted in crashes, raising serious safety concerns.
Following months of evaluation, the Commission on Police Practices has put forward nine formal recommendations to improve pursuit policies. SDPD has announced that it will fully or partially implement six of these recommendations.
One recommendation suggested tightening restrictions on what justifies a pursuit. However, the department has pushed back, arguing that limiting pursuit criteria could lead to an increase in crime.
Another proposal calls for the creation of a board to review police pursuits -- an idea SDPD officials say they are open to exploring.
You can read SDPD's response to all nine recommendations here: https://tinyurl.com/38abt28c
As the department prepares to unveil these policy changes, community members and city officials will be closely watching to see how these new measures will impact public safety and law enforcement operations.
