By Adam Pagnucco.
A coalition of progressive groups has assembled to support Council Member Will Jawando’s bill to limit traffic stops. The groups, who include Jews United for Justice, the Silver Spring Justice Coalition and Young People for Progress, call the bill a “strong start” but also say that they plan “to advocate for amendments to the bill to strengthen its ability to better protect the diverse members of our county.” In other words, they want the bill to be even tougher.
My original post on the bill has received thousands of page views and, at this writing, is the second most-viewed post in the history of this site. It’s obvious that the legislation is controversial among the public. However, the above groups have a lengthy record of passing county bills on policing, so don’t count them out. This is going to be a real fight.
The groups’ press release appears below.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Coalition Calls for Ban on Minor Traffic Stops to Promote Safety and Equity in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, MD (February 28th, 2023) –– A coalition of youth, civil rights, and community advocacy organizations, including Young People for Progress (YPP), the Silver Spring Justice Coalition (SSJC), and Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) is calling for an end to police stops for low level traffic violations in Montgomery County. There is overwhelming evidence that minor traffic stops disproportionately affect people of color, low-income communities, and marginalized groups, and that they can often lead to dangerous and unnecessary interactions between law enforcement and civilians.
The coalition urges Montgomery County lawmakers to take immediate action to end minor traffic stops, including routine stops for minor offenses such as expired tags, broken tail lights, and other minor violations that frequently serve as pretexts to detain, search, and harass people of color. The coalition is also calling for a focus on more effective and equitable approaches to traffic safety, such as improved infrastructure, increased education, and targeted enforcement strategies that prioritize public safety and avoid police-civilian interactions.
“The evidence is clear that minor traffic stops disproportionately impact marginalized communities, and that they can lead to serious harm, including violence and even death,” says Danielle Blocker, a spokesperson for the coalition and Executive Director of YPP. “We must take action to end these stops and invest in alternative approaches that promote safety and equity for all,” says Blocker.
The coalition cites a recent report by the Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) which shows that Black and Latino drivers are significantly more likely to be stopped by police than white drivers and to be searched once stopped (a disparity that has significantly increased over the past five years). These racially disparate stops and searches erode trust between law enforcement and communities of color. In addition, many minor traffic stops can result in fines and fees that can create a cycle of debt and financial insecurity for low-income individuals and families.
The coalition is calling on Montgomery County officials to prioritize safety and equity by ending minor traffic stops, and by investing in evidence-based strategies that promote safer roads and more equitable treatment for all residents. The STEP Act, being introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, is a strong start to ending minor traffic stops, and the coalition plans to advocate for amendments to the bill to strengthen its ability to better protect the diverse members of our county.
Ending minor traffic stops and adopting evidence-based strategies to promote traffic safety is critical to creating a more just and equitable Montgomery County. Joanna Silver, a member of the the Silver Spring Justice Coalition, says “we look forward to joining the many jurisdictions around the country – from Virginia, to Philadelphia, to San Francisco, to Oregon – who are passing legislation to remove police from low-level traffic enforcement because the research shows that this is a reform measure that increases public safety while decreasing police harm.”
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For more information on the coalition and its efforts to end minor traffic stops, please contact Danielle Blocker at danielle@ypforprogress.org.