Up until now, the debate has been based on unscientific types of evidence. But without data, they re really in a bad position because they can t credibly refute it. Many police departments, however, don t see the simple collection of traffic stop data as a cure for racial profiling but instead as a way to improve community relations. But some also fear that, depending on how the numbers are crunched, data collection could be used against them. Steve Carter, a project manager for the Denver Police Department working with the organization s Biased Policing Task Force, agrees.
Data can be a very powerful but sometimes misleading tool.
If we increase officer density, we re likely to increase the number of contacts we make, so to some, that could automatically lead them to conclude that we re engaging in racial profiling. It s a scary thought. Faced with those kinds of concerns, police departments that took new systems to the street months ago are still grappling with data analysis procedures and policies. The issues can be difficult. Break it down by precinct, neighborhood and locality.