Independence police may limit vehicle pursuits to violent felonies
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Council considers limiting pursuits to dangerous felonies or immediate threats
- Interim chief cites audit and data showing Independence had higher chase totals
- Chief seeks drones and tracking tech to reduce officer vehicle pursuits
The Independence Police Department could soon adopt a more restrictive vehicle pursuit policy after its interim chief recommended limiting chases to violent felonies.
Earlier this week, interim Police Chief Douglas Brinkley presented two options to council members: one that would limit pursuits to known violent felonies and another that would largely keep the current policy but add more supervisory oversight.
“I actually already recommended to the city manager that we go with a more restrictive policy, and that’s the one that allows only for dangerous felonies or when occupants present a clear and immediate danger to others,” Brinkley said. “So it’s not limiting what they do. It’s providing all of us a little more safety and actually refining it.”
The recommended changes come after years of criticism for the pursuit of vehicles by Independence officers, as well as an independent audit of the policy by an outside firm.
Brinkley shared data that compared Independence pursuits with other nearby agencies, showing the city has conducted far more chases than its regional counterparts in recent years.
Independence officers have conducted more than 500 pursuits each year since 2023, including 541 chases in 2025, according to Brinkley’s data. By comparison, the Kansas City Police Department reported 137 pursuits in 2025.
A few council members had questions on whether implementing a policy that limits pursuits would increase crime rates or encourage people to flee, knowing that officers would not chase persons they suspected of being involved in a violent crime.
“Just to play devil’s advocate with it, with our crime statistics the way it’s at, do you think having a pursuit policy the way that we do, with some tweaks, gets the word out to those individuals who may want to be unsavory here, kind of get out there that we will pursue?” said council member John Perkins. “We will go at you.”
Brinkley said that he reviewed studies, including one that was conducted in Virginia, which did not show an increase in crime rates after agencies implemented a restricted vehicle pursuit policy.
“I don’t buy into all of that,” Brinkley said. “Based on that, I would say word of mouth travels, to be honest with you, and I do think we have a reputation for pursuing but we still have to balance that risk versus reward.”
The council did not vote during the study session. Any policy changes involving vehicle pursuits would ultimately fall to the Independence City Manager, who is currently being served by an interim.
Brinkley said that he would request funding to purchase new technology for the Police Department, including drones and other tracking devices. This would help decrease the number of officer vehicle pursuits.
For years, the Independence Police Department has defended its pursuit policy, saying it was “good” and didn’t require change, even after a 2024 investigation by The Star found Independence led the metro in high-speed pursuits.
The Star found that more than 1,200 police chases took place in the Kansas City metro, resulting in over 150 crashes and 51 injuries in 2022. Independence accounted for 33% of those injuries.
More recently, a Kansas City man died in a crash with a driver fleeing Independence Police officers in a pursuit on New Year’s Eve.
Daniel Sanchez, 47, was killed when a fleeing vehicle pursued by Independence officers into Kansas City collided with his car on Dec. 31. Two passengers in Sanchez’s vehicle were hospitalized with critical injuries. The driver remains at large.
Police said officers were pursuing a gray Ford F-250 for multiple traffic violations around 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 31. The driver failed to stop at a red light, struck a blue pickup, and collided with Sanchez’s car.
The driver then crashed into a parked recreational vehicle and fled on foot. Officers later determined the truck was stolen, though it remains unclear what violations prompted the initial stop.
