RACIAL PROFILING STUDY NEEDS A PUSH

Why the resistance? Why are House and Senate Republican leaders sitting on a
bill that would do nothing more than examine the problem of racial
profiling?

The Traffic Stops Statistics Study Act would aid in determining the
pervasiveness of the problem of DWB, or "Driving While Black," in which
African-American motorists are pulled over by police in disproportionately
high numbers.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, in some states drivers of
color are 75 times more likely to be stopped for a traffic infraction than
white drivers. The numbers are so out of whack they can't be explained in
any way other than to say black and Hispanic motorists are being singled out
due to the color of their skin. Whether intentionally or not, some police
forces are unfairly targeting drivers of color as a way to give them the
once-over.

To get at the problem, we need to know the extent of it. The bill would
direct the attorney general to conduct a nationwide study on traffic stops
with the results reported to Congress. It's a modest proposal that should be
uncontroversial and bipartisan. But the bill has stalled, and time is
running out on this session of Congress. Unless there is a renewed push by
key Republican leaders, this important legislation will be just another lost
opportunity to bring greater accountability to policing.

In the House, the bill unanimously passed the Judiciary Committee but has
not been scheduled for a full vote. Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Longwood, who is
running for the U.S. Senate this year, could provide the spark that gets the
measure moving. With his solid conservative credentials, McCollum could make
a difference in the House. Since January, the Florida Highway Patrol has
voluntarily been collecting data on the race and ethnicity of the motorists
it stops, The funds provided in the federal legislation could help subsidize
the FHP program.

In the Senate, the bill's movement has been stymied due to a lack of
enthusiasm by key Republicans. Getting the facts about potentially
discriminatory police practices should be a national concern. It's hard to
imagine why any lawmaker, Democrat or Republican, would stand in opposition.