Joi Imobhio speaks at the 9th District Police Council meeting in McKinley Park on March 27, 2024.In 2022 in Chicago, only 3.4 percent of police traffic stops resulted in a citation. African-American drivers were six times as likely to be stopped — and Latino drivers twice as likely to be stopped — versus white drivers.
These are reasons why the Free2Move Coalition advocates for an end to “pretextual” traffic stops, said Joi Imobhio, a representative of the Chicago-based advocacy group. During the March 27, 2024, meeting of the 9th District Police Council, Imobhio explained that police initiate pretextual traffic stops for minor violations, such as a burned-out brake light or missing license tag.
“Stops continue to be used as a mechanism for public safety despite a lack of evidence to show that these stops decrease traffic violence or violent crime,” according to the Free2Move website.
Pretextual Traffic Stops
Since 2015, when the Chicago Police Department agreed to limit stop and frisk, pretextual traffic stops have skyrocketed from about 100,000 to 500,000 in 2022, Imobhio said.
In the 9th District, which includes the McKinley Park neighborhood, police recorded 22,439 traffic stops in 2022. That’s 4.4 percent of all traffic stops in the city that year: a total of 511,796. The 9th District had 2,000 more stops than the average district.
Racial Disparities
From 2015 to 2021, black drivers were 5.5 times more likely to be stopped in the 9th District than white drivers, Imobhio said. In that same time period, Latino drivers were 1.6 times more likely to be stopped in the 9th District than white drivers.
A meeting attendee who identified himself as a Chicago police officer, but did not give his name, said he does not look at the race of the driver when he stops a car. The officer said during one stop he arrested a driver who was wanted on a murder charge.
On March 21, 2024, police stopped Dexter Reed in the Humbolt Park neighborhood for an alleged seat belt violation. Five officers with guns drawn ordered Reed out of the vehicle. Reed instead shot at police, injuring one in the wrist. Police then opened fire and Reed was killed in a fusillade of bullets
Stop Unsafe Cars
Other meeting attendees commented that people who are driving unsafe cars, such as with burned-out brake lights, should be stopped and ticketed.
As an alternative to stopping a driver for a minor violation, Imobhio suggested an officer could record the license number, and later a clerk could send a warning citation. This would keep officers on the street longer dealing with more serious matters, she said.
Commission Nominations
Erin Vogel, a council member responsible for community engagement, reported that the nominating committee of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) has nominated 15 people to serve on the permanent commission. Mayor Brandon Johnson will choose seven people to serve.
The CCPSA ordinance sets out qualifications for commissioners:
“At least two Commissioners must have at least ten years of experience as a practicing attorney. At least one Commissioner must have at least ten years of experience in community organizing. At least two Commissioners must be between the ages of 18-24 at the time they are appointed. Except for the two Commissioners between the ages of 18-24, Commissioners must have at least five years of experience in law, public policy, social work, psychology, mental health, public safety, community organizing, civil rights, or advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities. At least two Commissioners must live on the South Side, at least two must live on the West Side, and at least two must live on the North Side. The nominated candidates bring diverse backgrounds and valuable experience to the table. For each of the seven vacancies on the Commission, there are at least two nominees who meet each of the requirements.”
The March 27 police council meeting was the first held in the McKinley Park neighborhood. The council has promised to hold two meetings a year in each of the six neighborhoods that the 9th District serves.
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