Urban Institute: Police Traffic Stops Have Little to Do with Public Safety

Date:  04-27-2021 Advocates suggest removing officers from traffic enforcement activities, listening to the people most harmed by traffic stops, and shifting the power to community members to define and address their public safety concerns

From Urban Institute: The dangers of police traffic stops have been displayed time and again, from Rodney King in 1991 to Daunte Wright earlier this month. Traffic stops are the most common form of police-citizen interaction, but for many citizens, they are also the most dangerous. Although many people view traffic enforcement as a basic aspect of policing, this has not always been the case. Considering the dangers of traffic stops and their disproportionate impact on Black people and other people of color, the traffic safety benefits do not outweigh the potential dangers. How traffic enforcement evolved over time Traffic enforcement has been a responsibility of policing since the invention and wide use of automobiles and other vehicles. Cars were seen as dangerous, and originally, there were no rules or regulations governing their use. Outraged over accidents and other safety concerns, civilians demanded public safety support, despite law enforcement’s own lack of automobile use. Continue reading >>>