Police union sues Philadelphia over new law that bans minor traffic stops - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The union that represents Philadelphia police officers has sued the city, saying a new law that bans cops from pulling over drivers for minor traffic infractions violates state law and “adversely affects” public safety.

The suit, filed Tuesday in the Court of Common Pleas, asks a judge to deem the ordinance invalid on the basis that the city can’t preempt the state’s existing Motor Vehicle Code. The city, Mayor Jim Kenney, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw are named as defendants.

Known as the “Driving Equality Bill,” the law is slated to take effect next week and aims to curb police interactions by barring officers from pulling over drivers for minor traffic violations like broken taillights. Critics say law enforcement has long used these stops to target Black drivers at disproportionate rates, and departments have encouraged the stops as an alternative to stop-and-frisk because they could allow officers to search the vehicles of people they suspect may be carrying illegal guns or drugs.

The ordinance classifies a handful of low-level traffic infractions, like bumper issues and outdated registrations, as “secondary,” meaning they can’t be the sole reason a driver is pulled over. The Defender Association has estimated that curbing the stops could eliminate some 300,000 police interactions a year.

Philadelphia was the first major city to enact such a ban. The legislation passed City Council with a vote of 14-2 in October and was signed into law by Kenney. A spokesperson for the administration didn’t immediately comment on the lawsuit.

The legislation was authored by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, who spoke frequently about his own experiences as a Black man being pulled over by police.

He and other members in October asserted the bill was legally sound, saying it didn’t change the violations listed under state law, but reclassified how they would be enforced in the city.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

source: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-police-union-fop-sues-traffic-stop-law-20220223.html

Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.