The Prince George’s County Council passed a law Monday named after a 3-year-old girl who was killed by a driver allegedly fleeing a traffic stop.
Zoey’s Law requires county police to report all pursuits to the council each year in an effort to prevent crashes like the one that took the life of Zoey Harrison. She was killed on March 7 while riding in a car with her mother.
“No child should ever, or family have to ever, go through what my family is going through,” Zoey’s grandmother, Gina Pryor, said Monday.
Zoey was one of three people killed in Prince George’s County within three weeks by drivers fleeing traffic stops.
The bill the council passed aims to put in place clear policies on police pursuits. Prince George’s County Council Member Krystal Oriadha co-sponsored the bill.
“I don’t think the intention for the police when they start chasing is that anyone’s going to die. But the reality is when you are speeding in a vehicle, it becomes a weapon,” Oriadha said.
Under the bill, the Prince George’s County police chief now has to file a report every year with the council about all pursuits the police are involved in, why the pursuits happened and if any of those pursuits broke police department policy.
If Prince George’s County Police agree to work with other agencies, in what’s called mutual aid, those police agencies would have to follow the same standards for pursuits that Prince George’s County does.
“This law becomes a living memorial, turning a heartbreaking loss into meaningful change. Through the Zoey’s Law, Zoey’s name becomes a symbol of protection, hope and advocacy for all children,” Pryor told the council Monday.
News4 reached out to the Prince George’s County Police Department for comment on the new law, but has not yet heard back.
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