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Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts is a member of the Free2Move Coalition, an alliance of community and advocacy organizations working to create a safer, more racially equitable system of traffic safety in Chicago and advocating for the end of pretextual vehicle stops. Pretextual stops occur when the police pull someone over for an alleged minor infraction – such as a burned out taillight or the failure to wear a seatbelt – but then use the stop as an excuse to search for evidence of a crime unrelated to the original reason for the stop.

On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts provided public comment as a member of the Free2Move Coalition at the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability’s special public meeting to discuss pretextual vehicle stops in Chicago:

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Ali, and I’m here with Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts to address the critical issue of pretextual traffic stops and to emphasize the role of the CCPSA in representing our community’s priorities.

First and foremost, we must end racially biased pretextual traffic stops through long-standing policy reform. These stops disproportionately target marginalized communities, eroding trust between the public and the police. The data is clear—this practice does not enhance public safety but instead perpetuates systemic injustice. CCPSA has a unique opportunity to lead the charge in ending this harmful practice.

Any policy implemented must be comprehensive. We can’t afford half-measures that allow the police to pivot to similar practices under a different name. We need a policy that outright ends pretextual stops, limits stops for low-level offenses that do not present road safety dangers, and ends suspicionless searches during traffic stops. Over half of traffic stops CPD made from 2019-2021 were for having a headlight/taillight issue or improperly displayed or expired registration plates. Stopping someone for these issues is more likely to create a dangerous scenario for them as they interact with police, than to improve road safety. Consent searches also enable cops to conduct “fishing expeditions” of people and have very racially disparate enforcement. Law enforcement needs to have an independent legal basis to search before asking for consent. 

CCPSA is entering closed-door negotiations on these issues despite being created to be the voice of the people on matters of public safety and policing. We expect transparency on how these conversations are progressing, and we trust that CCPSA will advocate for policies that align with the community’s demand for accountability, transparency, and true public safety.

In conclusion, the problem of pretextual traffic stops is extensive and requires strong, swift action. The CCPSA has the power to make meaningful change, and we urge CCPSA to use that power to ensure the policies negotiated reflect the priorities of the community. Thank you.

In Chicago especially, pretextual stops are especially dangerous for Black and Brown people who are consistently stopped by the police at higher rates than their white neighbors. These stops regularly escalate, many times leading to harm and in especially tragic cases, death. Learn more about pretextual stops here.