403 Wapping Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 Robert F. Stephens, Secretary

09/6/00

FRANKFORT – Governor Paul E. Patton today joined several state and local law enforcement agencies to announce plans for a "professional traffic stops" study to determine occurrences of racial profiling in Kentucky.

"Stopping or searching individuals on the basis of race is not an effective law enforcement policy," Patton said. "The collection of information regarding traffic stops is the only way to be sure we are not over stepping our boundaries when protecting the public."

Governor Patton called for the policy to be drafted by criminal justice experts through an executive order issued April 21, 2000.

The policy asks that all state law enforcement agencies obtain the race and gender of each motorist during all vehicle stops.

"Officers will not solicit this information but derive it from observation," Justice Cabinet Sec. Robert F. Stephens said. "No information will be placed on the form to establish actual identity of the individual."

A vehicle might be stopped for a traffic violation, due to a complaint, for a courtesy stop or as part of a criminal investigation, according to the policy. The information collected will be forwarded annually to the Justice Cabinet, which will study the information and compile a report for Gov. Patton.

The data collection began Sept. 1 at two KSP posts, at two local law enforcement departments and with all other state law enforcement agencies.

The Henderson and London KSP posts are beginning the study with the Somerset Police Department and the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department.

The state agencies joining in the project include: the department of transportation’s motor vehicle enforcement, fish and wildlife, department of agriculture, charitable gaming, department of alcoholic beverage control, department of insurance and department of parks.

All university police departments are joining in the study, too.

These agencies will be offering advice on the collection process and data form before all other law enforcement agencies begin documenting their traffic stops on Nov. 1, Stephens said.

Gov. Patton’s call for a traffic stop study asked state law enforcement agencies to partake in the project; however, twenty-five local law enforcement agencies volunteered to participate.

They include police departments in Hopkinsville, Owensboro, Paducah, Campbellsville, Corbin, Henderson, Pikeville, Somerset, Bardstown, Elizabethtown, Georgetown, LaGrange, London, Morehead, Paintsville, Russellville, Wilmore, Horse Cave, Jamestown and Kenton County.

The sheriff’s departments include Daviess, Marshall, McCracken, Oldham and Pulaski.

"These agencies are not required to help us. They are assisting us because they care about their communities and the job they do for the citizens of the Commonwealth," Stephens said. "We are encouraging all local law enforcement agencies to adopt this policy."