#STOPTHESTOPS

The Duluth NAACP has been working with the City of Duluth and the Duluth Police Department to end the harmful practice of Pretextual Stops.

What is a Pretextual Stop?

• Pretextual stops refer to traffic stops and detainments based on acts that may violate minor laws such as broken tail lights or expired license plate tabs, but do not endanger other people. They are used by police officers when they think someone is or looks suspicious, and they want to find evidence of more serious crimes.

Is there data available about this practice?

• Once stopped, black drivers were searched about 1.5 to 2 times as often as white drivers nationally. However, they were less likely to be carrying drugs, guns, or other illegal contraband compared to their white peers.
• Fewer than 2% of all traffic stops result in arrests for criminal activity.
• In 2019, 5 out of 10 DPD Use of Force Incidents were against people of color. 
• Here in Duluth, we have heard stories of black residents being pulled over by the Duluth Police Department (DPD) for ambiguous stops over ten times in a year, with one individual even being stopped three times in one night. 
• Studies show that 18% of traffic stops made by the DPD over a six month period were members of the BIPOC community while the BIPOC community only makes up 10% of the Duluth population.

What can we do to #STOPTHESTOPS?

• Some cities in Minnesota, including Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center, are addressing this issue by implementing policies to not pull people over for minor traffic offenses that do not endanger other drivers
• We have been meeting with the City of Duluth and the Duluth Police Department for six months to discuss options. They have respectfully listened to our concerns. However, they have adamantly refused to make policy changes. The police department claims that they can fix this problem through internal changes such as increased training.

The Duluth NAACP has submitted an ordinance to the City of Duluth to ban this harmful practice.  We encourage you to reach out to your city councillor, the mayor, and the police department showing support for this initiative.

Read about the new policy draft here

See Duluth NAACP Letter to Hubbard County Attorney