NYPD Traffic Stop Lawsuit Highlights Systemic Bias Against Black and Hispanic Drivers

The New York City Police Department is facing a new lawsuit alleging that traffic stops target Black and Latino drivers unfairly, with arrest and search data painting a sharp disparity. The NYPD has long been criticized for its handling of traffic stops, with many accusing the department of racial profiling and discriminatory practices. Now, a newly filed lawsuit claims that officers are engaging in what it calls 'stop-and-frisk on wheels,' disproportionately targeting Black and Hispanic drivers during traffic stops.

The case highlights the scale of traffic stops carried out since a 2021 law began requiring officers to record every stop they make. Over the first three years, more than two million stops have been documented, with Black drivers accounting for 32 percent of them despite making up only 22 percent of the city's driving population. Hispanic drivers were also overrepresented, comprising 30 percent of all stops despite accounting for only 23 percent of the driving public.

In contrast, white drivers, who make up 38 percent of the city's motorists, were stopped just 23 percent of the time. The disparity in arrests and searches is especially stark, with Black and Hispanic drivers accounted for 90 percent of all arrests after traffic stops. Black drivers are 10 times more likely to be searched than white drivers, while Hispanic drivers are six times more likely to be searched than whites.

The NYPD has also been accused of frequently stopping motorists in minority neighborhoods as a pretext to look for guns. The lawsuit notes that the targeting of Black and Latino drivers with baseless vehicle searches is nothing more than 'stop and frisk on wheels,' and it must come to an end. ' The case raises serious questions about the NYPD's handling of traffic stops and its commitment to fairness and equality for all drivers, regardless of race or ethnicity.