Driving while black in Missouri is perilous. Will these changes reduce racial profiling?

For nearly two decades, law enforcement agencies in Missouri have been required to collect racial profiling data to combat unfair treatment of minorities by police.

But the state’s appalling record on racial disparities in vehicle stops has only continued to worsen during the last 18 years. Last year, black drivers in Missouri were 91% more likely to be pulled over than white motorists — a finding so outrageous that it should compel state officials to immediately enact sweeping reforms.

Now, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt plans to make changes to the way vehicle stop data is collected. But will the adjustments actually reduce racial profiling of minority drivers?

Schmitt’s plan is a start, but without legislation that would hold individual officers and law enforcement agencies accountable and impose consequences for discriminatory policing, the disparities will persist.

A lawsuit filed by St. Louis-based activist Phillip Weeks against the St. Louis Police Department and three other agencies seeks the release of its vehicle stop database. The suit highlights additional information that must be made public if Missouri is serious about addressing racial disparities in law enforcement.

Weeks wants the records to determine whether individual officers have a record of racial profiling, but so far, he’s been denied. He contends that the databases are open records that need to be scrutinized to better understand policing practices that lead to disparities.

The annual vehicle stops report does not include data on specific officers. But it should.

“Withholding governmental records from the public is a disservice not only to the public, but to the legislators who are elected to be effective lawmakers for our society,” Weeks said in a statement.

The finding that in 2018, black drivers in Missouri were 91% more likely to be stopped than white people behind the wheel was the most significant racial disparity for vehicle stops since the state began collecting that data.

In 2017, black motorists were 85% more likely to be pulled over than white drivers. The number was 75% in 2016 and 69% in 2015.

Agencies consistently refuse to admit that their officers engage in racial profiling. And there are few, if any, consequences if they do.

Schmitt consulted with law enforcement officials, citizen advocates and other stakeholders about the changes that will go into effect in January and will be included in the 2021 vehicle stops report.

“Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt takes seriously his responsibility to all six million Missourians, no matter their race, zip code or age,” said Chris Nuelle, a spokesman for his office.

Changes include adding three questions that will provide more detailed traffic stop information, including the driver’s zip code. Alcohol-related stops will be counted separately in the contraband category to more accurately reflect drivers that carry illegal drugs.

And the AG’s office is also expanding existing response options to help more accurately document traffic stops and searches.

But without changes to state law that would impose penalties for racial profiling and without information about individual officers, the attorney general’s efforts likely will have relatively little impact.

The Star Editorial Board asked law enforcement agencies in Kansas City, Blue Springs, Independence, Lee’s Summit, North Kansas City, Raytown and Jackson County if they have identified any problem officers.

Independence and Raytown police and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office did not reply to the inquiry. Kansas City police were still analyzing data last week.

Police chiefs in Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit and North Kansas City said their agencies have not identified any officers who have stopped minority drivers at a disproportionate rate. But how can we know that without public access to that information?

In 2018, black drivers were nearly three times more likely to be stopped than white drivers in Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Liberty and North Kansas City. In Independence, black drivers were four times more likely to be stopped than their white counterparts.

“Any abnormalities that may be identified are handled as either remedial training and/or counseling/disciplinary action,” Blue Springs Police Chief Bob Muenz wrote in an email response.

North Kansas City Police Chief Steve Beamer wrote: “If there was an officer that had traffic stops that were not reasonably within or near the parameters established by the five-mile radius demographics, the issue would be addressed with training and counseling.”

In Missouri, black drivers are more likely to be pulled over than white drivers, more likely to be searched and more likely to be arrested.

The question is: What will officials do to put a stop to discriminatory policing?

Creating a public database of individual officers’ vehicle stops and enacting state laws that actually punish misconduct would be a start.

This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 5:00 AM.