Police Are Stopping Fewer Drivers — and It’s Increasing Safety

In 2023, the evidence continued to build. In Ramsey County, Minnesota, researchers from the Justice Innovation Lab studied the effects of a policy enacted by County Attorney John Choi to not prosecute charges stemming from non-safety-related traffic stops, along with police department policies to cease making such stops. In their report and working paper, researchers found, once again, that curbing non-safety-related stops reduced racial disparities in stops and searches with no negative impact on traffic safety or crime. In particular, Black drivers, who were stopped and searched more often than other groups, experienced a drastic reduction in stops for equipment violations and searches, though racial disparities still persist.