Philadelphia Passes Bill Prohibiting Police From Pulling Drivers Over For Certain Low-Level Offenses
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Thursday, Philadelphia became the first city in the country to pass a driver equality bill. Police officers will soon be prohibited from pulling over drivers for low-level offenses like broken tail lights.
The legislation is aimed at preventing racial discrimination in traffic stops.
"I am grateful to my colleagues for voting to pass my Driving Equality bills," said Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, "but moreso, I am humbled by every person who told my office of the humiliation and trauma experienced in some of these traffic stops. To many people who look like me, a traffic stop is a rite of passage - we pick out cars, we determine routes, we plan our social interactions around the fact that it is likely that we will be pulled over by police. By removing the traffic stops that promote discrimination rather than public safety, City Council has made our streets safer and more equitable. With this vote, I breathe a sigh of relief that my sons and my friends' children will grow up in a city where being pulled over is not a rite of passage but a measure of the safety of your driving and vehicle, regardless of the skin color of the driver."
Officers can issue citations, which will be mailed to drivers.
The ban goes into effect 120 days after Mayor Jim Kenney signs the bill.
