Traffic and Pedestrian Stops

 

An officer who stops a motor vehicle for an alleged violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic, or who stops a pedestrian for any suspected offense, shall record and report the following information: 

A physical description of each person detained as a result of the stop, including: 

  • The person's gender; 
  • The person's race or ethnicity, as stated by the person or as determined by the officer to the best of his/her ability. 
  • The street address or approximate location of the stop. The suspected offense or the traffic law or ordinance alleged to have been violated.
  • Whether the officer conducted a search as a result of the stop and, if so, whether the person detained consented to the search. 
  • Whether probable cause to search existed and, if so, the fact(s) supporting the existence of that probable cause. 
  • Whether any contraband was discovered in the course of the search and, if so, the type of contraband discovered. 
  • Whether the officer made an arrest as a result of the stop and/or search, and, if so, a statement of the offense charged. 
  • Whether the officer issued a warning or a citation as a result of the stop and, if so, a statement of the offense charged. 


This department shall compile and analyze the information contained in these individual reports. No later than March 1st of each year, this department shall submit a report to our governing body containing the information compiled from the preceding calendar year in a manner they approve. This report will include: 

A comparative analysis of the information contained in the individual reports in order to: 

  • Determine the prevalence of racial profiling by officers in this department 
  • Examine the disposition of traffic and pedestrian stops made by this department's officers, including searches resulting from stops. 
  • Information relating to each complaint filed with this department alleging racial profiling.


This report will not include identifying information about a peace officer who makes a stop or about an individual who is stopped or arrested by a peace officer.