The examination of traffic stops by the Chicago Police Department has come to the forefront as efforts to reform policing policies continue. Concerns have been raised by community leaders and residents, particularly in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, regarding the nature of these stops. They argue that minor traffic violations are often used as a pretext to investigate more serious criminal activities, a practice that civil rights activists believe unfairly targets these communities.
Brian Ramson, a district councilor for Chicago’s Harrison District on the West Side, has experienced numerous traffic stops since his move to Chicago in 2013. Despite being pulled over approximately 50 times, court records indicate that he has never received a ticket or been arrested. Ramson, a physicist at Fermilab, shared his experiences during a recent feedback session on the Police Department’s upcoming general order on traffic stops. He emphasized the need for policy changes that consider the voices of the community members who are often the least heard.
The Police Department is set to submit a draft of the new general order, which aims to revise the criteria under which officers can conduct traffic stops. Police Superintendent Larry Snelling has highlighted the importance of balancing the need for effective policing with adherence to constitutional standards, ensuring that officers are well-trained and held accountable.
In an effort to gather community input, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) has held a series of listening sessions. The policy draft, expected to be reviewed soon, will be made public for further comment. CCPSA Vice President Remel Terry and Commissioner Sandra Wortham have emphasized the ongoing nature of community engagement in this policy’s development.
The Harrison District, represented by Ramson, is often plagued by gun violence and drug-related arrests, heightening the community’s concerns about safety and fairness in policing practices. The district, which has been a central area for the city’s narcotics trade, experienced a high-profile incident in March 2024 when a traffic stop led to a fatal exchange of gunfire, resulting in a lawsuit that remains unsettled.
The department’s traffic stop policy has resurfaced as a contentious issue in the broader context of police reform, driven by the 2019 consent decree. An independent monitor has recommended that the consent decree include the traffic stop policy due to the increased number of stops in recent years and inadequate documentation practices. A class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Illinois challenges the legality of pretextual stops and seeks to limit traffic enforcement to violations that genuinely impact roadway safety.