Rhode Island No Chase Law
Statewide conditions
Does Rhode Island have a no-chase law? Partly — Rhode Island sets statewide conditions on police pursuits, but it is not a blanket "no-chase" jurisdiction.
What governs pursuits in Rhode Island
R.I. Gen. Laws §31-27-4.1, §31-27-4.2
Rhode Island statute defines a 'high-speed pursuit' (over 15 mph above the speed limit) and limits departments to engaging in one only to apprehend a person wanted for a felony/misdemeanor threatening health, life, or safety, or committing a flagrant, dangerous moving violation; officers involved must file written justification reports. Fleeing/eluding police is itself a separate crime (misdemeanor first offense, felony thereafter) under §31-27-4.1.
Will police chase a motorcycle in Rhode Island?
No Rhode Island law exempts motorcycles from pursuit; the same statutory high-speed-pursuit criteria (offense severity, justification/reporting) apply, with actual go/no-go left to the officer and department policy given the added rider-safety risk.
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 Rhode Island regardless. See the state-by-state motorcycle guide for how this works everywhere.
Sources
- law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/title-31/chapter-31-27/section-31-27-4-1/
- law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/title-31/chapter-31-27/section-31-27-4-2/
- risp.ri.gov/media/606/download?language=en
Verified as of August 2026. Department policies can change without notice — check the agency's published policy for current break-off criteria.