Report: St. Paul, Minn. Police Chases Have More Injuries

A newspaper analysis of seven years of police chase data in Minnesota shows St. Paul police pursuits have led to injuries or fatalities three times more often than those in Minneapolis.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Sunday that police chases rarely end in death or injury to bystanders in Minnesota. A total of 86 people, or 7 percent of those injured or killed in chases, were bystanders.

When it comes to all chases, 13 percent ended with an injury or fatality statewide. That number was 18 percent in St. Paul and 6 percent in Minneapolis.

St. Paul Police Chief Thomas Smith says he can’t explain the discrepancy. He says there is a balance between enforcing traffic laws, apprehending criminals and safety, and he feels confident in the systems in place.