New traffic-stop policy aims to reduce racial disparities, Mecklenburg sheriff says

Kallie Cox
·2 min read
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The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday is implementing a new policy that will result in fewer traffic stops and aims to combat the racial disparities of who gets pulled over.

The new policy prohibits deputies from pulling over drivers solely based on regulatory stops, which can include violations such as driving with a revoked license or expired insurance, or if a malfunctioning taillight or headlight, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

Now, deputies can only issue a ticket or citation for those offenses after pulling over the vehicle for something more serious, such as speeding or driving under the influence, the sheriff’s office said.

The change was proposed to the office by Forward Justice and the North Carolina Second Chance Alliance, which allege racial disparities are reinforced by regulatory and investigative stops, the release said.

Forward Justice presented data to the sheriff’s office that showed Black drivers in North Carolina are 95% more likely to be pulled over than their white peers.

“Traffic stops can lead to harmful, and sometimes deadly interactions, particularly for people of color,” Whitley Carpenter, senior criminal justice counsel for Forward Justice said in the release. “By eliminating traffic stops for these low-level infractions that do not contribute to public safety, we can begin to minimize unnecessary and potentially harmful interactions between law enforcement and communities and address the racial disparities clearly inherent in these stops.”

Sheriff Garry McFadden, in a statement, said he hopes the policy shifts helps deputies to focus on the traffic violations that pose a serious danger to the community.

“MCSO also wants to be intentional in ensuring that none of our policies or practices contribute to disproportionality in our criminal justice system and I am confident that our community will be better served as a result,” McFadden said.

A news conference about the new policy is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 3.