![]() ![]() If I have a reasonable suspicion or probable cause you’re involved in criminal activity, I can make the stop,” testified Francis Healy, special advisor to Outlaw. “This is not stopping police officers from making legitimate public safety stops. The PPD did not respond to a request for comment, though it voiced support for the bill during a council hearing in September. “We’re following the lead of the administration as it relates to different means and mechanisms of enforcement because that is 100% in their jurisdiction.” “I think everything is on the table right now,” Thomas said in an interview. WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsor Using traffic cameras or designated traffic officers have been floated as possibilities. The Kenney administration will determine how that will happen, Thomas said. ![]() People who commit these violations would receive a warning or a citation in the mail. Driving without vehicle registration within 60 days of the observed infraction.Driving with a single headlight or minor obstruction.Having a registration plate that’s not clearly displayed, fastened, or visible.Driving without an inspection or emissions sticker.Driving with a single broken brake light.Under the bill, which now moves to the mayor for his signature, police would not be allowed to stop drivers if their only offense was committing what the bill would categorize as a secondary violation. Those violations deal with how a driver operates their car, such as blowing a stop sign or running a red light. Under the measure, dubbed the Driving Equality bill, police would still be able to pull over drivers for so-called primary violations - traffic offenses that can compromise public safety. I think it will put us in a position where hopefully we’ll see significantly less stops as it relates to these types of traffic violations,” said Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, who introduced the measure last October and has personally experienced discrimination behind the wheel. “I’m confident that this bill will be able to address some of the equality issues that we’ve faced in the city of Philadelphia. Believed to be the first municipal legislation of its kind, the proposed law was crafted in collaboration with Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. According to the same data, only a small percentage of these stops result in an officer confiscating any kind of contraband, including illegal guns.īackers hope the bill will help reduce racial profiling, but also maximize police resources by freeing up officers to enforce more serious violations. The measure, approved with a 14-2 vote, is rooted in recent data that show Philadelphia police pull over a disproportionate number of Black drivers for minor traffic violations compared to white and Latino drivers. Philadelphia City Council on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill that bars police from stopping drivers solely for committing minor traffic violations like having a broken brake light.
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