The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) at Central Connecticut State University, in consultation with the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), has established a Racial Profiling Prohibition Advisory Board to help oversee the design, evaluation, and management of the racial profiling study mandated by PA 12-74, “An Act Concerning Traffic Stop Information.” The IMRP is working with the advisory board and all appropriate parties to enhance the collection and analysis of traffic stop data in Connecticut. Resources for the project are being made available through the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) grant, as administered through the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

The primary purpose of the project is to monitor and prohibit racial profiling in Connecticut and to comply with NHTSA grant requirements and are outlined below.

Analyze current racial profiling law and make recommendations to the Connecticut General Assembly to better align the statute to legislative intent and current best practices. Ensure compliance with the racial profiling law in as efficient, effective, transparent and inclusive a manner possible. Ensure compliance with NHTSA requirements of Section 1906 funding to include: Fund activities to prohibit racial profiling in the enforcement of State laws regulating the use of Federal-aid highways Collect, maintain and provide public access to traffic stop data Evaluate the results of such data; and develop and implement programs to reduce the occurrence of racial profiling, including programs to train law enforcement officers. The Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board and the project staff have been meeting since May 2012 in an effort to outline a plan to successfully implement PA 12-74. The focus of this early phase of the project has been to better understand traffic stop data collection in other states. Four working groups were established to advise on various aspects of the process including; the standardized method for collecting, recording, reporting, and analyzing racial profiling data required by PA 12-74 and to accomplish tasks required to complete the Racial Profiling Prohibition Project.

For more information contact:

Ken Barrone Policy & Research Specialist Institute for Municipal & Regional Policy, Central Connecticut State University Tel: 860.832.1872 or Email: baroneket@ccsu.edu