A Rhode Island State Representative has just filed a bill that would re-instate data collection by police that was required from 2016 to 2020 under the Comprehensive Community Police Relationship Act. Providence Democrat Edith Ajello says despite all the advancements that have been made - minorities are pulled over at higher rates than whites. Ajello says that the data will provide real evidence --and will be a tool for accountability in policing.
During every traffic stop, police would be required to include the race of the driver, as perceived by the officer, and whether anyone was arrested, cited or issued a warning.
“The public’s demand for fair policing has only grown more robust in the years since this law has expired – years in which our nation has witnessed the deaths of George Floyd, Tyre Nichols and many others. Every leader and every relevant agency in our state should be eager to put this requirement back in place and be a party to the effort to improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve,” said Representative Ajello.
The bill has not been assigned a hearing date but under the provisions of the measure, if passed it would begin in January of 2024.
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