Aurora Police Pursuits Surge Tenfold Under New Policy

AURORA, Colo. — Police pursuits in Aurora have skyrocketed following a major policy shift that now allows officers to chase suspects involved in more crimes, including auto theft, gun-related offenses, and DUI.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman shared on social media that Police Chief Todd Chamberlain is touting the results since the new rules went into effect on March 5. According to Coffman, the expanded pursuit policy has already led to 79 pursuits, resulting in the arrest of numerous repeat offenders who were responsible for a significant share of crime in the city.

So far, the change has led to:

64 arrests
10 court summons
14 firearms recovered (including replicas)
22 active warrants served
24 individuals on probation and 7 on parole encountered
51 people arrested with prior criminal histories

In comparison, only 140 felony pursuits were conducted in Aurora between 2019 and March 2025, averaging just a few each month. Since the new policy launched, pursuits have increased roughly tenfold.

Public Reaction and Context

The overwhelming majority of public comments on Coffman’s post have been supportive. One commenter questioned the potential “collateral damage”, a concern often raised in broader national discussions about high-speed pursuits.

For years, police departments across the U.S. have tightened pursuit policies due to the risks to officers, suspects, and bystanders. Many jurisdictions now limit chases to violent felonies or situations where there is an immediate threat to public safety, according to Police Magazine.

Aurora had previously enforced a “No Chase” policy, which restricted officers from pursuing suspects unless specific danger was evident. Chief Chamberlain said that limitation allowed too many offenders to escape accountability.

“There were a lot of people who were able to victimize community members of the city of Aurora and get away with it,” Chamberlain told KDVR Fox 11.

KDVR also reported that only one person has died during a police pursuit in Aurora in the past six years, suggesting the risk under the previous policy was relatively low. However, the impact of the new surge in chases on public safety remains to be seen.

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