MS SB2408

Requires all county sheriff departments and municipal police departments to adopt written motor vehicle pursuit policies by December 31, 2023, which may be model policies from national or state police organizations.

Pursuit policies must prohibit initiating pursuits for misdemeanor offenses except carjacking, murder, aggravated assault, or robbery; include decision-making criteria for initiation and termination; address inter-jurisdictional coordination; and require officer training.

Pursuits may only cross into another political subdivision if there is an agreement between jurisdictions that includes notification procedures and coordination of supervisory personnel.

Agencies failing to adopt compliant policies lose state accreditation eligibility and trigger withholding of state payments to counties and municipalities until the Department of Public Safety certifies compliance, with funds held in escrow for 90 days before reallocation.

Office of Standards and Training must annually examine county and municipal records to verify policy adoption and may issue certificates of noncompliance to the Department of Revenue, which then withholds allocations under highway tax and municipal sales tax distribution statutes.