In general, the 2001 bills are stronger than the laws enacted in 1999 and 2000, with the trend in the 2001 bills being toward mandatory, indefinite data collection by all state and local law enforcement agencies. The following analysis identifies the most effective legislation aimed at eliminating racial profiling through traffic stop racial data collection efforts. The first step toward addressing racial profiling is for law enforcement agencies to collect data on the race of all the drivers they stop, as well as related data about the character of the stops. Data collection is necessary for identifying the problem, and giving direction to efforts to eliminate profiling both as a practice of individual officers, and as an institutionalized departmental policy. Data collection is not intended as a study, and should not be viewed as something that delays the implementation of a solution to racial profiling.
Data collection is part of the solution.
Ongoing monitoring and measuring of police performance is necessary to ensure effective police work and to serve the important mandate of protecting the civil rights of the public. Measuring performance and outcomes is an established and necessary element of effectively implementing and administering any program or policy. Three states Connecticut, Missouri, and Rhode Island have laws mandating data collection by all state and local law enforcement agencies. Three more states North Carolina, Tennessee and Washington mandate data collection by the state police only. The trend is definitely toward mandatory, universal data collection.