The Vermont State Police have released traffic stop data from 2019, reports NBC 5.
According to NBC 5, the VSP’s report found that there is racial disparity in terms of who gets ticketed. Out of 57,971 motor vehicle stops that the report analyzes, 93.5% involved white drivers. Approximately 6% of other stops involved POC (people of color). The report states that only 31% of these stops ended in the drivers receiving a ticket.
The demographic breakdown of those who receive tickets is as follows; Asian operators 49.5%, Hispanic operators 45.3%, Black operators 42.9%, White operators 36.6%, and Native American operators 36.2%. This is where police cited the aforementioned racial disparity.
According to Captain Gary Scott, the Director of Fair and Impartial Policing & Community Affairs for the VSP, the force is now screening results, training troopers, and trying to reduce bias in their policing.
Scott stated, “All that plays into it, and to still see disparate rates in these tickets is concerning and frustrating in a lot of ways, but we continue to work with our community partners to continue to try to get to the best we can do with that. We want to tackle this head on.”
The VSP is reportedly looking to hire an education specialist with the aim to expand how much Scott’s team can interact with troopers and stop bias.
WNTK Local News 