Study: Black, Hispanic drivers in Suffolk stopped, arrested at higher rates

Black and Hispanic drivers are pulled over by Suffolk police at disproportionately higher rates than white motorists and are more likely to be ticketed or arrested, according to analysis by the John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety.

The study used data provided by the Suffolk County Police Department from 130,000 traffic stops between March 2018 to March 2019.

The study concluded that there was "no evidence of racial or ethnic bias" when "analyzing the initial stop decisions by SCPD officers."

But according to the study:

Analyzing a number of post-stop outcomes by matching stops of Black and Hispanic drivers, respectively, to stops of white drivers based on a number of factors, we detected disparities on several outcomes, including:

The likelihood of a vehicle search (Black drivers)

The likelihood of a search of their person (Black and Hispanic drivers)

The likelihood of being restrained (Black drivers)

The likelihood of being subjected to physical force (Black drivers)

The likelihood of being ticketed rather than warned (Hispanic drivers)

The number of violations for which they are ticketed (Black and Hispanic drivers)

The likelihood of being arrested (Black and Hispanic drivers)

The duration of the stop (Black and Hispanic drivers)

Placement in the back of the police unit (Black drivers)

The likelihood that a vehicle search yields no contraband (Black drivers)

According to the study, Black motorists, as compared to white drivers, are more than twice as likely to be searched and have their cars searched, 84% more likely to be restrained and 59% more likely to be arrested.

Hispanic drivers, as compared to white drivers, are 16% more likely to be arrested and 32% more likely to be ticketed.

MORE: READ THE STUDY

The data shows that Black and Hispanic drivers are more likely than white drivers to be pulled over for issues with the vehicle. While white motorists are more likely than Blacks and Hispanics to be pulled over for speeding.

At a briefing Tuesday, Suffolk officials acknowledged more training and analysis is needed. The department says 1,900 of its 2,400 officers have had implicit bias training since it was added in 2018.

“The training of implicit bias needs to be more than just a single class to evaluate what implicit bias and overt biases exist within the culture of the police department,” said attorney Fred Brewington.

“Let me be clear, these disparities are unacceptable to me. They’re unacceptable to the police department,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “We understand that implicit bias is a real thing, that it exists in society, that we all have unconscious biases and the way you address that is by acknowledging and putting in place systems and structures that address that.”

Commissioner Geraldine Hart says the department is “going to ensure that we take significant steps” to address implicit bias.

“It’s very important to us,” she said.

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