The Clinton, CT Police Department (CPD) recently releases it’s finding from a Justice Navigator Audit from the Center for Policing Equity (CPE). If interested you can see the Clinton PD summary report HERE. The CPE never releases it’s reports in a publication form, with access to the data. I find the format that they release there “reports” in difficult to read. I think this is purposeful to make outside analysis of CPE’s findings impossible to verify.

The findings are race based. They are based upon vehicle stops. When driving around in a vehicle try to identify the race or gender of the person(s) in the vehicle in the car in front of you or in the car that you are passing (in the opposite direction) as you both drive 35 or 45 mph. It is difficult because of the type of glass, the tint, the reflection of the sun, dirty or obstructed windows, nighttime etc. Yet this is what the officer focuses on?

After making the initial contact what factors are involved with the officer issuing the traffic ticket? What factors are involved with having the officer requesting permission to search the driver’s vehicle?

• The type of offense(s)
• The Driver(s) driving record
• Warrants, unpaid tickets
• Driver attitude – cooperative vs argumentative
• What is in Plain view in the car
• The attitude of the officer
• What he goals for the day are or roles in the PD (traffic officer vs patrol)
• How busy the shift is (may be a “hot call” is dispatched right after the officer made the stop)
• Is back-up available
• Officer training

The above list could affect whether or not a ticket is issued or if a driver is asked if their car can be searched. There are several legal factors that should be considered before extralegal factors like race and gender determines whether or not a driver gets a ticket.

A note on Types of Vehicle & Traffic (V&T) Violations. Generally V&T violations are divided into 3 categories: Moving violations or Safety – speeding, stop signs, and red light violations; Regulatory violations: Vehicle inspection or registration, suspended license; or Non-moving or Equipment violations – tints, hanging air fresheners, stickers on the windows. I can go into great detail how each type of V&T category can greatly negatively impact you involved in an incident with another driver that has several V&T violations wrong with their vehicle. Like maybe they didn’t see your car because their view was obstructed by something hanging off of the rear view mirror (non-moving). Or their insurance isn’t going to cover the accident because the drive’s license was suspended (regulatory). Or finally, they made that left in front of you when you had that right of way (moving). This is why ALL TYPES of V&T enforcement is necessary and besides is the law.

(Note: follow the links above to go to Clinton PD’s Justice Navigator Audit, to go to Center for Policing Equity (CPE) website, or the Justice Navigator webpage.)