Ann Arbor City Council approves measure that would limit police traffic stops
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Ann Arbor could become the first city in Michigan to restrict police from conducting traffic stops for minor violations.
Ann Arbor City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday a driving equality ordinance with the goal of preventing racial profiling.
Councilmember Cynthia Harrison introduced the measure. She said the "harms of traffic stops are not equally felt," and disproportionately impact people of color.
"I have been speaking with many individuals, many of them that look like me, that have had negative experiences with law enforcement as a result of a cracked windshield, something hanging from their rearview mirror," said Harrison. "This is a small town and when somebody is stopped and their car is being searched, it's humiliating, and really, it causes harm."
Under the measure, police would no longer be allowed to conduct pretext stops, which the ordinance says can lead to a deep mistrust of law enforcement within the community.
The measure states that police can conduct stops if the driver or vehicle poses a risk to others or to property. Officers may also conduct traffic stops if a driver or occupant matches the description of a suspect, if they have been pulled over or detained for crimes in the past, if the officer is investigating a car crash, or if they are driving a commercial vehicle.
Former Assistant Detroit Police Chief, Steve Dolunt, said that such a move could have a negative impact on community policing.
"At what point do we stop investigating people?" said Dolunt. "Because a lot of your criminals don't have a license, may have a gun, may have narcotics, may have outstanding warrants. I'm not pulling you over just to pull you over. Something about you and your vehicle triggered something. And it shouldn't be based on your race, sex, religion, whatever. It should be simply because you're violating a civil ordinance of the city … it's that simple."
The Ann Arbor Police Department shared the following statement with CBS News Detroit:
- No law enforcement officer employed by the Ann Arbor Police Department shall stop or detain the operator of a motor vehicle based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socio-economic status, age, cultural group, or disability.
- Except where the violation is of a nature or magnitude that it poses an immediate risk of harm to person(s) or property, a law enforcement officer employed by the Ann Arbor Police Department shall not stop or detain the operator or occupant of a motor vehicle based solely on one of the following offenses:
a. Cracked or chipped windshield
b. Loud exhaust
c. Tinted windows
d. Object hanging from rearview mirror, unless the officer has a good faith belief that the object creates an unsafe vision obstruction.
e. Cracked, broken or burned-out tail lamp where at least one tail lamp remains functional and properly illuminated.
f. Registration plate lighting violations
g. Registration plate violations regarding plate height or attachment as described in MCL 257.225, as amended.
h. Location of registration sticker
i. Location of temporary or paper registration plate, so long as it remains clearly visible from the rear of the vehicle.
j. Registration expired less than 60 days prior to the date the officer observes the vehicle.
The driving equality ordinance is set to go up for a final vote on July 6.
