Six takeaways from the AJC’s Georgia State Patrol pursuit investigation

The Georgia State Patrol engages in many dangerous pursuits on Georgia’s roadways

A GSP trooper is involved in a pursuit almost every day of the year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution identified and analyzed 6,700 pursuits over five years. Our analysis found that 3,400 pursuits resulted in crashes that, collectively, left at least 1,900 people injured and 63 people dead. Many chases occurred on heavily traveled interstates or roadways in metro Atlanta. In 2023, only 14 days passed in which a trooper wasn’t chasing someone. In a written statement, the GSP said its pursuit policy is based on state law and judicial rulings and the agency has an active review process of its pursuits.

Bystanders and passengers are often the ones injured or killed

The people most frequently hurt in pursuits are not the people being chased. The majority of those harmed were either bystanders or passengers – their involvement akin to being caught in the line of fire during a police shooting. The AJC’s analysis found that 523 bystanders were injured, while 470 passengers in the pursued vehicles suffered injuries. Collectively, they account for more than half the people injured in GSP pursuits during the five-year period reviewed from 2019-2023.

The majority of GSP chases stem from traffic violations, not felonies

The GSP chases, which can endanger anyone on Georgia’s roadways, often stem from misdemeanors or traffic infractions, including broken taillights, driving without a seat belt, speeding or improper registration, the AJC found. Experts who have researched the issue have found that often, the chase itself can endanger the public more than the traffic violation that prompted the original stop. National research indicates calling off pursuits that occur over nonfelony offenses is often the safest alternative. But that seldom happens with the GSP, according to the AJC’s analysis. Although 87% of GSP pursuits in 2023 were initiated over nonfelony violations, with the overwhelming majority stemming from traffic infractions that would otherwise be a citation, just 19% were called off.

GSP plays a significant role in Georgia leading the nation in frequency of deaths from police chases

No national agency comprehensively tracks police chases, and varying state laws make direct comparisons a challenge. But an analysis of federal data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests reason for concern in Georgia. In addition to analyzing GSP’s raw data from 2019-2023, the AJC’s investigation analyzed national data from 2018-2022, the latest year of federal data available, and found that people died in Georgia more often as a result of pursuits on roadways than in any other state. The federal data recorded 201 pursuit fatalities for law enforcement agencies in Georgia over those five years. GSP reported 68 pursuit fatalities involving the agency in that period, according to GSP data. While the federal data from the NHTSA and the data obtained from GSP came from separate sources, the AJC’s analysis of each reached a similar conclusion: No other agency in Georgia is associated with as many fatal pursuits.

GSP’s pursuit policy is one of the most permissive in the country

The GSP’s policy outlining how troopers should conduct pursuits has contributed to the high number of unsafe chases. The policy is one of the least restrictive in the country. The GSP doesn’t restrict chases according to speed, weather or traffic conditions or potential charges. The policy leaves many decisions up to the trooper; the policy does not clearly outline a supervisor’s role during a pursuit. AJC reporters filed public records requests across the country and acquired pursuit policies from state police agencies in 44 states. The AJC found that 42 agencies required pursuits to either be authorized by or coordinated with a supervisor. Georgia and Texas are the two states identified by the AJC that don’t clearly outline a role for the supervisor.

The GSP’s policy and philosophy on pursuits run counter to national best practices.

A study released in September 2023 by the Police Executive Research Forum and the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services had recommendations that law enforcement agencies should limit pursuits to situations in which two specific standards are met: 1) A violent crime has been committed and 2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit another violent crime. The act of fleeing police should not be a factor in making the decision, according to the study. The PERF study also recommended agencies adopt policies that include active supervisory oversight of pursuits to ensure they are necessary and conducted safely.

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