GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The American Civil Liberties Union is urging state police to investigate possible racial profiling along a busy Michigan highway.
ACLU of Michigan sent a letter to Michigan State Police asking them to do a comprehensive review of whether drivers of color are pulled over by troopers at a higher rate than white motorists while traveling on I-94. They are urging state police to make the results of the study public.
After receiving multiple complaints of possible racial profiling along I-94, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request for MSP records of traffic stops made by the 5th District Hometown Security Team. The 5th District covers the southwest portion of the state, which includes Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties.
The records of traffic stops made on Nov. 15 to Nov. 17 show that of the 15 people one trooper had contact with seven were black, four were Hispanic and three were white. The race of one driver was not identified, a ACLU news release said.
A following FIOA request showed nearly 50 percent of drivers pulled over in the beginning of 2017 were people of color, according to the ACLU.
“These records alone do not prove racial profiling, but certainly raise concerns and warrant a thorough and complete investigation of MSP traffic stops,” said Mark Fancher, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan, in a statement.