Civil rights groups concerned about CPD traffic stops impacting drivers of color

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Police are making more traffic stops, and some groups have concerns about who is being pulled over.

Joi Imobhio works with the civil rights groups, Impact for Equity and the Free2Move Coalition, which have released a report saying traffic stops by Chicago Police grew about 5% last year, and Black Chicagoans are being stopped more than white drivers, as are Latino drivers.

The report also found that traffic stops for registration violations and licensing rose to 44% of all stops.

"These traffic stops disproportionately impacted Black and brown residents and drivers and they were disproportionately stopped and searched," Imobhio said.

"One thing that we also saw from the data is that the concentration of traffic stops on Chicago's West Side communities, which grew more pronounced in 2023."

The Chicago Police Department released a statement to WBBM which said in part, "Officers only conduct traffic stops when they have probable cause or have reasonable suspicion of a crime....These stops are not conducted based on race or any other protected class."

CPD also said that implicit bias training is mandated for all officers as part of ongoing reform and consent decree compliance efforts.

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