Thank you to everyone who has signed this petition. We have met with Chief Arradondo twice since we launched this campaign. He is working with Dr. Phillip Goff from the Center for Policing Equity to analyze the racial disparities in MPD equipment violation stops. Dr. Goff's report is expected later this month.
Our analysis now includes 2019 data (Jan-Aug). During this time, there has been a 28% decrease in the number of MPD equipment violation stops. This is a result of your advocacy! However, at the same time we have seen this decrease, the racial disparities gap has widened to over 7x that of white drivers (this compares to 6x during our previous reporting period). This means our work is not done. These disparities must end. We need your voice to be loud. Share this campaign. Call the Mayor and your Council Member and tell them that you, as a concerned resident, want to see an end to equipment violation enforcement until they can be done without bias. Thank you for your support.
To: Mayor Jacob Frey
End Racial Disparities in Police Stops for Equipment Violations #DrivingWhileBlackMPLS
Institute a moratorium on Minneapolis Police Department stops for equipment violations due to the large racial disparities in these stops with no discernible community benefit. Use this pause in enforcement to evaluate the community impact and discover ways to eliminate the racial disparities of these stops.
Why is this important?
Black people are SIX times more likely to be stopped for an equipment violation compared to white people in the City of Minneapolis. Once a person is stopped, a Black person is THREE times more likely to be searched. These disparities have existed for a very long time and must end. Most of the time, police justify these stops as a "crime-fighting tool". The arrest rates are not materially different between Black and white people, implying this method of over-policing is not yielding greater results. This is further proven by a recent study by the Policing Project of the NYU Law School explored this very topic in Nashville and concluded that stops for equipment violations are not an effective strategy for reducing crime.
This type of policing erodes trust between the community and the police. It has impacts all over the community. Here is one of those personal stories. Elizer Darris, who is the field director for the Minnesota American Civil Liberties Union, has been pulled over eight times in the last two years. At a recent City Council meeting, he described a recent interaction with police. He said, "...I can sense that at any moment I could lose my life in the interaction. I can sense an impending potential for death." This is how thousands of people in the city have to go through their everyday lives. This is why this a moratorium needs to be instituted now.