District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025

Sponsor: Clay Higgins (Republican-LA)

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Received in the Senate.

Lets D.C. police pursue fleeing suspects more often, changing current rules.

This bill would change the rules for police chases in Washington, D.C. It would let D.C. police officers pursue suspects in cars more often. This is allowed unless there's a clear risk of harm or another way to catch them. It also asks the Attorney General to study technology that could warn the public about police chases.

What Would Change

Today, police officers in the District of Columbia operate under strict rules that limit when they can chase suspects in cars. These rules were put in place by a 2022 law. If this bill becomes law, D.C. police officers would have more flexibility to pursue suspects in vehicles. They would be allowed to chase. This is unless an officer or supervisor believes it's too risky, pointless, or if there's a better way to catch the suspect. The bill would also require a study on technology to warn the public about police chases.

Key Provisions

Lets D.C. police officers chase suspects in cars more often by changing current restrictions.
Requires D.C. police officers or their supervisors to believe a chase is safe and effective to continue it.
Excludes certain federal law enforcement officers from these D.C. pursuit rules.
Requires the Attorney General to study technology that warns the public about police chases.
Requires the Attorney General to report findings on pursuit alert technology to Congress within three years.