Post by redstone14 on May 21, 2021 0:21:42 GMT -5
Seattle inspector general urges elimination of routine traffic stops by police
by KOMO News Staff Thursday, May 20th 2021
SEATTLE - Seattle police should strongly consider eliminating traffic stops for minor, civil and non-dangerous violations, the city's inspector general wrote this week in a letter to Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz.
Such stops should be discontinued "for the safety of both officers and the public and for racial fairness," wrote Seattle Inspector General Lisa Judge, who is charged by law with helping to ensure the fairness and integrity of the police system in its delivery of law enforcement services.
In her letter to Diaz, Judge wrote that traffic stops should be limited to offenses that create a danger to the public, such as reckless driving, DUI, school zone violations, or other similar circumstances.
In her letter, Judge framed the recommendation as a "request," then went on to argue that routine traffic stops for minor civil offenses, such as expired license tabs or a burned-out taillight, sometimes can result in unnecessary deaths - both to motorists and police officers.
She cited the cases of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, who was fatally shot by police in April during a traffic stop for expired plates Minnesota, along with Darian Jarrot, a New Mexico state police officer who was fatally shot in February during a traffic stop by a driver with an assault rifle, and several others.
"Many in law enforcement acknowledge traffic stops are inherently dangerous, with officers approaching unknown persons, often in darkened vehicles, sometimes in remote areas, without knowing whether that person may try to harm them to avoid being arrested. Many in community believe traffic stops are inherently dangerous for different reasons, especially for people of color," Judge wrote.
Judge also wrote that traffic stops for minor violations are a "significant infringement on civil liberty" and should be reserved for cases when a person is engaged in criminal conduct that harms others.
"Stops for government-created requirements like car tabs, with nothing but a potential monetary penalty, do not justify the risk to community or to officers," Judge wrote.
In addition, Judge wrote that routine traffic stops are the most common form of face-to-face interactions between police and the community, and can impact how community members form negative opinions of the police, which can influence public trust in the department.
"Moreover," she wrote, "research has consistently shown that Black and Latino experiences during traffic stops are different from those of white persons."
"I have discussed these issues with others in city leadership and I believe there is support for exploring alternatives to traffic enforcement in ways that do not involve routine stops for minor violations," Judge wrote to Diaz, adding that she would welcome the opportunity to "discuss this critical community matter with you further."
KOMO News has reached out to Chief Diaz and the Seattle Police Department for their response to the letter.
komonews.com/news/local/seattle-inspector-general-urges-elimination-of-routine-traffic-stops-by-police
by KOMO News Staff Thursday, May 20th 2021
SEATTLE - Seattle police should strongly consider eliminating traffic stops for minor, civil and non-dangerous violations, the city's inspector general wrote this week in a letter to Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz.
Such stops should be discontinued "for the safety of both officers and the public and for racial fairness," wrote Seattle Inspector General Lisa Judge, who is charged by law with helping to ensure the fairness and integrity of the police system in its delivery of law enforcement services.
In her letter to Diaz, Judge wrote that traffic stops should be limited to offenses that create a danger to the public, such as reckless driving, DUI, school zone violations, or other similar circumstances.
In her letter, Judge framed the recommendation as a "request," then went on to argue that routine traffic stops for minor civil offenses, such as expired license tabs or a burned-out taillight, sometimes can result in unnecessary deaths - both to motorists and police officers.
She cited the cases of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, who was fatally shot by police in April during a traffic stop for expired plates Minnesota, along with Darian Jarrot, a New Mexico state police officer who was fatally shot in February during a traffic stop by a driver with an assault rifle, and several others.
"Many in law enforcement acknowledge traffic stops are inherently dangerous, with officers approaching unknown persons, often in darkened vehicles, sometimes in remote areas, without knowing whether that person may try to harm them to avoid being arrested. Many in community believe traffic stops are inherently dangerous for different reasons, especially for people of color," Judge wrote.
Judge also wrote that traffic stops for minor violations are a "significant infringement on civil liberty" and should be reserved for cases when a person is engaged in criminal conduct that harms others.
"Stops for government-created requirements like car tabs, with nothing but a potential monetary penalty, do not justify the risk to community or to officers," Judge wrote.
In addition, Judge wrote that routine traffic stops are the most common form of face-to-face interactions between police and the community, and can impact how community members form negative opinions of the police, which can influence public trust in the department.
"Moreover," she wrote, "research has consistently shown that Black and Latino experiences during traffic stops are different from those of white persons."
"I have discussed these issues with others in city leadership and I believe there is support for exploring alternatives to traffic enforcement in ways that do not involve routine stops for minor violations," Judge wrote to Diaz, adding that she would welcome the opportunity to "discuss this critical community matter with you further."
KOMO News has reached out to Chief Diaz and the Seattle Police Department for their response to the letter.
komonews.com/news/local/seattle-inspector-general-urges-elimination-of-routine-traffic-stops-by-police
