Lawmakers urged to be aware of racial profiling

Erin Neff

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 10:47 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Lawmakers were urged Wednesday to order police to continue collecting data from traffic stops to monitor for possible racial profiling.

Federal Public Defender Franny Forsman, who served as chairwoman of the committee that created the Metropolitan Police Civilian Review Board, told a state legislative committee that minority communities "have deep and abiding mistrust" of police.

"Much of it arises as a result of traffic stops," Forsman said.

A study delivered to state officials last month indicated Nevada police stopped black motorists at a rate disproportionate to the black population in the state. The study also found that blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites and Asians to be handcuffed during a traffic stop and vehicles driven by blacks were searched twice as often as those of white motorists.

The study and longstanding complaints from minorities in Nevada provide ample reason to make changes and to continue monitoring of police members of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada and the National Association of Social Workers told lawmakers Wednesday.

One bill draft that would address the racial profiling issue has been submitted by Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas. The bill, which is in the process of being written, would require ongoing collection of data and calls for the inclusion of information about racial profiling in the Department of Motor Vehicles' handbook for drivers. That information would include ways for those who believe they have been profiled based solely on their race or other identifying factors to seek redress.

Metro Police Lt. Stan Olsen said that collecting data is expensive, and that his department is not yet certain whether it will support any racial profiling measure this session.

"It would depend on the wording of things," Olsen said. "Metro Police's resources are stretched thin, and data collection is a very expensive proposition."

Dr. James Tate, a University Medical Center trauma physician who is active in civil rights organizations, told the committee he believed the training of police officers is part of the problem.

"The problem has to be addressed not only with the individual law enforcement officer, but the department itself," Tate said, testifying via videoconference from Las Vegas.