The Dallas Police Department is tightening its foot chase policy in an effort to save lives.
A new policy is currently being drafted and is expect to go into effect early in the new year, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The draft obtained by the newspaper directs officers to not:
* Continue a foot pursuit if they are acting alone while chasing two or more suspects.
* Continue a foot pursuit if they lose their weapon.
* Split up to chase multiple suspects.
Officers also are encouraged to consider visibility, the availability of cover, whether they are in a hostile area, whether the suspect is armed and whether they know the suspect's identity, according to the newspaper report.
The decision to change the policy came after an officer fatally shot a fleeing suspect in July.
So far, only a few police agencies across the country have put in place policies dictating how and when officers will conduct foot pursuits.
