After months of debate, the Oakland Police Commission approved a new policy allowing officers to engage in high-speed chases at any speed, though police say they’ll only do it in cases of violent criminals.
It’s been a debate on both sides of the Bay the degree to which police officers should be allowed to engage in dangerous high-speed chases, but it’s been a bigger controversy in Oakland, which has more violent crime. And even Governor Gavin Newsom has stepped in to urge Oakland to allow police to chase more suspects at higher speeds.
So on Thursday, Newsom and Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell both got what they wanted, as the Oakland Police Commission unanimously voted to allow Oakland police to engage in chases at any speed, according to the Bay Area News Group…