DeKalb County expands high-speed pursuit policy amid rising crime concerns
Controversy over police pursuit policy changes
DeKalb County leaders have authorized changes to the police department’s policy around high-speed pursuits and the use of PIT maneuvers to capture fleeing suspects. For some, the controversial move to curb crime comes with concerns about the general public’s safety.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County officials have expanded the police department’s high-speed pursuit policy.
It is a controversial move intended to curb rising crime but one that has sparked concerns over public safety.
DeKalb County Police chase policy change
What we know:
In a memo issued last month, Interim Police Chief Greg Phillips informed officers that the department will broaden the criteria for initiating vehicle pursuits and begin training officers in the Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver — a method used to forcibly stop fleeing vehicles.
DeKalb CEO on chase policy
What they're saying:
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, who has been in office less than 100 days, said the changes reflect her administration’s focus on improving public safety.
"Public safety from not only recruiting officers but keeping people safe — and across DeKalb we have seen quite a spike in street racing," Cochran-Johnson told FOX 5 Atlanta.
She said the department’s previous lack of training in PIT maneuvers limited its ability to safely apprehend suspects.
"Previously, DeKalb County had not trained our officers in the PIT maneuver," she said. "PIT will only be used in times where there is a high risk of adversity to public safety."
The updated policy gives officers more discretion in initiating high-speed chases and authorizes the use of PIT under stricter evaluation guidelines. According to Cochran-Johnson, training is already underway and has led to early results: last weekend, officers arrested 11 people for illegal street racing, impounded 10 vehicles, and recovered multiple firearms.
Cochran-Johnson acknowledged the risks, but emphasized that every pursuit would be subject to a strict evaluation process.
"We recognize the risk," she said, "but this is about balancing enforcement with the need to protect our communities."
Opposition to high-speed chases
The other side:
However, critics argue that the changes could lead to more reckless chases and deadly outcomes.
Katrina Harris lost her daughter Katie in October 2023 during a high-speed pursuit involving the Georgia State Patrol, DeKalb County police, and Stonecrest Mountain Police. Katie was struck head-on by a fleeing suspect on Memorial Drive.
"October 14, 2023, it was a Saturday," Harris recalled. "He ended up going down Memorial Drive the wrong way and hit my daughter’s car. From what I understand, he was going close to 100 miles per hour."
Harris said her daughter was one of four innocent bystanders killed in Georgia high-speed pursuits in 2023.
"I wish I could’ve seen her one more time," she said. "I don’t see how it could make anyone safer."
Where DeKalb County ranks
Dig deeper:
A Georgia Department of Public Safety review showed that while high-speed pursuits statewide rose only slightly — from 1,673 in 2022 to 1,680 in 2023 — the number of innocent bystanders killed during those chases quadrupled.
DeKalb County ranked second in the state for total pursuits in 2022 and third in 2023.
The Source: FOX 5's Joi Dukes spoke with DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Katrina Harris lost her daughter Katie in October 2023 during a high-speed pursuit for this article.