Independent Auditor Urges Sweeping Reforms to Pasadena Police Vehicle Pursuit Policies

A new Independent Police Auditor’s review of Pasadena Police Department vehicle pursuits in 2024 found uneven application of pursuit policies and inconsistent internal reviews, leading to 12 recommendations for reform. The proposals include clarifying rules for “tracking,” limiting rifle deployment during pursuits, standardizing supervisor training, and developing a citywide philosophy on vehicle pursuits that balances officer objectives with public safety.

The findings were presented Sept. 11 before the Community Police Oversight Commission by Independent Police Auditor Teresa Magula of the OIR Group.

Magula took care to describe her examination as a review, not an audit. “I specifically use the term review because people get prickly about audit … and I don’t do those,” she explained.

Magula reported that Pasadena officers engaged in 42 pursuits in 2024. She reviewed 10 of those cases — roughly a quarter — and two others referred to Internal Affairs.

Each case generated a large volume of video, radio traffic, and reports, limiting the sample size due to time and budget. She also attended the department’s POST-certified pursuit training and sat in on multiple internal review sessions.

The review focused on two questions: whether the department followed its own internal process, and whether pursuit tactics were consistent with Pasadena policy and statewide best practices.

Key Findings

Magula noted “fairly consistent quality” in supervisory reviews but cited several gaps:

• Balance Test: The risk-versus-reward assessment, meant to guide decisions on continuing or terminating pursuits, was inconsistently applied in early 2024 cases, Magula said. She said that she observed improvement later in the year and further gains in 2025.
• Holistic Review: Debriefings often ignored related incidents such as foot pursuits that followed vehicle chases, according to Magula.
• Training Referrals: Magula concluded that officers were inconsistently referred to follow-up training after pursuits.

Magula described unsafe driving behaviors — such as running red lights without clearing intersections or failing to use sirens — as evidence that the balance test was not always rigorously applied.

A major theme of the recommendations was clarifying “tracking” procedures, which occur when air support maintains visual contact while ground units fall back.

“There was some confusion around what is tracking [and] how far back is ‘falling back,’” Magula said, noting that even supervisors sometimes used the term incorrectly.

She added that in some cases, suspects drove less recklessly once patrol cars pulled back, but said effectiveness depended on clear supervisor direction.

Rifle Deployment

Another concern involved instances where officers removed patrol rifles from their vehicle mounts during active pursuits.

“There are a lot of concerns about driving at high speed with a rifle in your hands,” Magula said. She relayed that several former police chiefs told her the practice was “a terrible idea” and recommended strict limits, with exceptions only for imminent high-risk stops.

Citywide Pursuit Philosophy

One of Magula’s most consequential recommendations calls for Pasadena to adopt a citywide pursuit philosophy.

“What is it that we as a city want to be doing with relation to police pursuits?” Magula asked commissioners.

She explained that pursuit policies of U.S. police departments span a wide spectrum: Burbank limits pursuits to violent felonies, while Santa Rosa “pursues everything,” logging up to 100 chases annually. Pasadena, she said, currently “straddles” the middle ground, allowing discretion for lower-level offenses if the balance test supports it.

Collisions and Injuries

In the 12 cases reviewed, several pursuits ended in collisions, but no injuries were reported to officers, bystanders, or suspects. Magula said the review served as a baseline assessment and that broader trend analysis could be part of future work.

Department and Next Steps

During the meeting, Pasadena police officials said they are already clarifying tracking procedures and will evaluate rifle restrictions. Command staff stressed that rifles are rarely deployed during pursuits and said the department may “agree in concept” with some recommendations while modifying others.

Commission staff noted the review has been posted on the city’s website.

The Police Department is expected to deliver its formal response at the commission’s Oct. 9 meeting, and Magula will present to the City Council in December.

Why It Matters

Magula underscored why pursuits warrant close oversight: “It is a high-risk tactical component of daily policing. It is part of policing and it is a necessary one in many cases, but certainly there is this balance of risk versus reward.”

Her 12 recommendations — spanning policy, training, and supervision — set the stage for Pasadena to refine pursuit practices at a time when agencies statewide are reevaluating how often officers should give chase, and under what conditions.