PACT ON RACIAL PROFILING

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The Justice Department has helped officials in
Montgomery County develop an agreement designed to discourage racial
profiling in traffic stops.

The pact, announced Friday, concludes a three-year investigation into
allegations lodged by the local NAACP. The civil rights group referred
more than 300 cases of alleged police misconduct to the Justice
Department in 1996.

A review of citations over a two-year period ending in 1998 found that
21 percent were issued to minorities, who accounted for just 12
percent to 14 percent of the county's licensed drivers.

"African-Americans were stopped for traffic violations in this county
in disproportionate numbers," said County Executive Douglas M. Duncan.

"Discrimination in deciding who to stop, who to ticket or who to
search is wrong," said Bill Lann Lee, acting assistant attorney
general for civil rights.

Montgomery County police will document the race, ethnicity and gender
of all people cited for traffic violations. A computer system will be
used to collect data on traffic stops and complaints will be made
public every six months.