Political Integrity Network
HR 5143 · 119th Congress · House

District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025

In progress
IntroducedSep 4, 2025
Policy areaCrime and Law Enforcement
Cosponsors2
What this bill is intended to do

District of Columbia Policing Protection Act This bill repeals restrictions on the circumstances under which law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia (DC) may engage in vehicular pursuits (i.e., police chases) of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles, and instead generally requires such pursuits in the absence of other means of apprehension. Currently, pursuant to DC's Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, law enforcement officers generally may not engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles unless the officer reasonably believes (1) the suspect was involved in a crime of violence or poses an immediate and serious threat to another person, (2) the pursuit is necessary to prevent that threat and is not likely to result in death or serious injury to any person, and (3) all other options have been exhausted or are unreasonable given the circumstances. The bill repeals these restrictions and instead requires law enforcement officers to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles unless the officer or a higher-ranking officer reasonably believes that (1) such pursuit would be futile, (2) the pursuit would entail an unacceptable risk of harm to a person other than the suspect, or (3) the suspect can be apprehended more effectively or expeditiously by other means. The bill also requires the Department of Justice to report to Congress on the costs and benefits of DC’s Metropolitan Police Department adopting technology that alerts the public of an active police pursuit in their immediate vicinity.

Latest action

Sep 18, 2025Received in the Senate.

How Congress voted · House roll call 275 · Sep 17, 2025
245 Yea182 Nay5 Not voting

Passed

How each party voted
Republicans215–0
Democrats29–182
Independents1–0

Revealed positions from the official roll call.

C66

The District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025 aims to establish standards for vehicular pursuits by law enforcement in D.C. It mandates pursuits unless certain risks are identified and requires a DOJ report on public alert technologies. The bill is focused on law enforcement procedures without direct financial implications.

Category gradesMembers of The Quiet Ledger see the full per-category breakdown of how this bill was graded.