Panel re‑examines returning traffic‑stop data collection to spot racial disparities

Representative Acello (Repugelho) introduced legislation to reinstate statewide traffic‑stop data collection and independent analysis after the law sunset several years ago. Supporters — including the ACLU and the Public Defender's Office — said reinstating formal collection and an advisory group is vital to detect and correct racial and ethnic disparities in stops and searches.

Stephen Brown of the ACLU told the committee Rhode Island pioneered such a law more than two decades ago and that earlier analysis found Black and Latino drivers were searched at much higher rates than white drivers in certain years; he argued the data collection and advisory oversight should resume.

Police representatives said departments have continued voluntary local data collection and cited recent body‑worn camera rollout as a "game changer" that has changed behavior. Colonel Michael Carrera and other chiefs warned that some common methods — notably using census population as a driving‑population proxy — can mislead and that perceived race at the time of stop can be difficult to measure reliably in poor lighting and high‑speed conditions.

Committee members discussed tradeoffs between rigorous research methods and the need for transparency. Advocates urged reinstatement with careful methodological safeguards and a stakeholder advisory group; police asked that any study use the most accurate benchmarking and avoid triggering misleading headlines from marginal year‑to‑year variation. The committee concluded testimony and will consider the bill's language and technical specifications.