Citing Deadly Consequences for Racially-Motivated Traffic Stops, National Urban League, LULAC, and California Affiliates Demand Passage of SMART Act

SACRAMENTO, CA (March 13, 2024) — As advocates rallied at the California State Capitol today, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and League of United Latin American Citizens CEO Juan Proaño called on state legislators to pass S.B. 50, the Stopping Malevolent Altercations Regarding Traffic Stops (SMART) Act.

They are joined by LULAC California State Director Jacob Sandoval, and California State Capitol Liaison Maria Gutierrez, as well as the leaders of the state’s four Urban League Affiliates: Cynthia Mitchell-Heard of Los Angeles Urban League, Dwayne Crenshaw of the Greater Sacramento Urban League, Al Abdallah of the Urban League of San Diego County, and Ken Maxey of the Urban League of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

“Routine traffic stops can be frustrating for most Americans, but for Black and Brown communities, it can be a matter of life and death,” Morial said, noting that Black drivers are about 20% more likely to be stopped and 1.5 to 2 times more likely to be searched than white drivers. “The discrepancy of stops drops by up to 10% at night when it’s more difficult for officers to determine a driver’s race, suggesting that law enforcement is using race as a motivating factor.”

Latino people, meanwhile, make up about 43% of traffic stops in California despite being only 32% of the population.

“The data shows that Los Angeles police officers search Latinos and Blacks far more often than whites during traffic stops, even though whites are more likely to be found with illegal items,” Proaño said. “And far too often, these disproportionate stops have deadly consequences. Police shoot and kill Latinos at a rate 55% higher than whites. The California State Legislature must do the right thing and pass Senate Bill 50 to protect Black and Brown communities from these discriminatory and deadly traffic stops.”

Too often, police stop Black and Brown motorists on pretext offenses, place themselves in what criminologists call “officer-created jeopardy” by standing in front of fleeing vehicles or reaching inside car windows, then claim self-defense when they react with deadly force. Often, the official accounts of law enforcement officers are contradicted by evidence.

In 2021, the National Urban League issued 21 Pillars for Redefining Public Safety and Restoring Community Trust, a framework for advocacy that redefines public safety and restores community trust – paving a way beyond the status quo.

Each of the 21 Pillars centers on five key goals:

1. Collaboration between law enforcement and communities to build a restorative system
2. Accountability
3. Changing divisive policing policies
4. Transparency, reporting, and data collection
5. Improved hiring standards and training

“For too long communities around the nation have had their lives, safety, and freedom threatened by discriminatory and violent policing,” Morial said. “Our communities deserve to feel safe in their homes, in their cars, and on their streets, including being safe from police violence.”