Lawsuit claims NYPD car stops are racially discriminatory, comparing them to stop-and-frisk practices.
In a notable legal development, a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court alleges that New York Police Department (NYPD) officers disproportionately target Black and Hispanic drivers without proper justification. The lawsuit, initiated by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) alongside Bronx Defender Services, emerges in the context of a city law enacted at the beginning of 2022 mandated that police document all vehicle stops, including those involving bicycles, regardless of whether enforcement actions such as tickets or arrests were made.
According to data analyzed by the NYCLU over the initial three years under this legislation, the NYPD conducted more than 2 million traffic stops. These stops resulted in approximately 1.8 million tickets, 68,000 arrests, and 57,000 vehicle searches. The analysis points to clear racial disparities in enforcement actions. Although Black and Hispanic individuals constitute 22% and 23% of the city’s driving population, respectively, the statistics reveal that Black drivers accounted for 32% of the stops, while Hispanic drivers represented 30%. In contrast, White drivers, who make up 38% of the driving population, were involved in only 23% of the stops.
The disparities are further pronounced in enforcement actions. Black and Hispanic individuals comprised a staggering 90% of the arrests made during these traffic stops. Notably, Black drivers were found to be ten times more likely to be subjected to searches than their White counterparts, while Hispanic drivers faced a probability of searches six times greater than that of White drivers.
Legal representatives from the NYCLU have emphasized that these patterns of policing mirror concerning practices that have historically led to accusations of racial profiling. The organization asserts that many Black and Latino drivers experience invasive searches during what should be routine traffic stops, raising alarm about the policing practices that amount to modern-day stop and frisk tactics. The NYCLU argues that this approach is unjustified, particularly given that the NYPD’s own data show that weapons are discovered in only about 4% of all vehicle searches.
This legal action brings echoes of previous controversies surrounding the NYPD’s practices, particularly following a judge’s 2013 ruling deeming the stop-and-frisk policy unconstitutional. This ruling provoked significant backlash from former city officials and continues to influence the department’s oversight today.
The lawsuit includes plaintiffs such as the NAACP and individuals who have alleged unjust stops, including Justin Cohen, a Black man who reported being stopped in 2023 for supposed speeding. Cohen stated that he experienced an illegal search and arrest, ultimately leading to a dismissed speeding ticket. His account and those of others reflect a continuous battle against racial profiling in traffic law enforcement in New York City.
In light of these developments, the NYPD maintains that it does not engage in racial profiling, although it has made efforts to implement reforms suggested by federal monitors overseeing its practices. This ongoing scrutiny underscores a critical dialogue surrounding police accountability and the enduring impact of systemic racism within law enforcement.
