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Traffic Study results released

Updated 11.14.03  Saul Green, the court-appointed monitor in the Cincinnati police practices lawsuit, today released the results of a traffic study commissioned by the parties as well as his analysis of the report's findings.

The study, conducted by Professors John Eck and Lin Liu of the University of Cincinnati, examined traffic stop data from six months in 2001. Among other things, it shows that in many neighborhoods, Cincinnati Police Officers:

  • Stop more African Americans than whites
  • Search more African Americans than whites
  • Detain African Americans longer than whites

The study also shows differing reasons for stops of whites and African American motorists, and widely disparate treatment after the stops. African Americans were far more likely to be stopped for claims of equipment violations, cited on multiple occasions, and subjected to lengthier searches. The study's conclusion of wide disparity in policing activity vindicates the ACLU's reasons for filing suit in 2001 alleging a 30 year pattern of unequal treatment for African Americans at the hands of the Cincinnati police.

The report is available here.

The monitor's analysis is available here.