EVERETT — Vehicle thefts declined after Washington loosened restrictions on police pursuits, but critics say less regulations may jeopardize public safety.

Police pursuits have been under scrutiny since 2021, when the Washington Legislature imposed strict requirements on the practice in 2021. Lawmakers loosened the standards in 2023 and again in 2024.

Under restrictions from House Bill 1054 , officers couldn’t engage in a vehicular pursuit unless they had probable cause for a violent or sex offense, an escape, reasonable suspicion someone was driving under the influence, the individual fleeing posed an imminent threat, or a pursuit was necessary for apprehending or identifying the suspect.

Probable cause is achieved when the officer feels a crime has been committed, either because the

See Full Page