New York No Chase Law
Agency discretion
Does New York have a no-chase law? No — New York has no statewide law restricting police pursuits. Each department sets its own chase policy.
What governs pursuits in New York
New York has no statewide statute restricting when police may pursue; pursuit rules are set department-by-department. In January 2025, NYPD Commissioner Tisch issued a new Patrol Guide policy (P.G. 221-15) limiting officer-initiated pursuits to felonies and violent misdemeanors, barring chases for traffic infractions or non-violent misdemeanors. Buffalo and Albany have their own separate, differing local restrictions. A 2025 state bill ('Amanda's Law') and NY AG proposals to mandate statewide standards and pursuit-data reporting had not been enacted as of publication.
Will police chase a motorcycle in New York?
No statewide or NYPD rule categorically exempts motorcycles; pursuit eligibility turns on the underlying offense (felony/violent misdemeanor under the current NYPD policy), with supervisors able to terminate any pursuit, including of a motorcycle, deemed too dangerous.
No US state has a literal law forbidding officers from chasing motorcycles. What riders call a "no-chase law" is nearly always a department policy that tells officers to break off a pursuit when the danger to the public outweighs the arrest — and fleeing remains a crime in New York regardless. See the state-by-state motorcycle guide for how this works everywhere.
Sources
- nyc.gov/site/nypd/news/pr004/commissioner-tisch-new-nypd-vehicle-pursuit-policy
- ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/public-safety/2025/01/15/new-nypd-policy-restricts-vehi
- ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-proposes-reforms-address-dan
- thecity.nyc/2025/10/29/nypd-chase-bill-tiffany-caban-amandas-law/
Verified as of August 2026. Department policies can change without notice — check the agency's published policy for current break-off criteria.