By a vote of 32-18, the Illinois Senate today approved House Bill 1613, making permanent the practice in Illinois of collecting data about traffic and pedestrian stops. The bill was originally promoted by then-State Senator Barack Obama back in 2003. The data collected by police agencies has been used by many law enforcement agencies to address early signs of bias in policing and help build community-police relations.
The following can be attributed to Khadine Bennett, Advocacy and Intergovernmental Affairs Director at the ACLU of Illinois:
“More than a decade ago, Illinois police began to collect data about traffic stops in Illinois. This was later expanded to include data about pedestrian stops. Over this time, the data collected has proven to be a critical tool for police to check any possible bias in policing on our streets, roads and highways. But more important, the data provides a transparent look into the work of local police, creating an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation between the police and the community.
Today’s vote by the Illinois Senate to make this data collection permanent builds on the successful legacy of this program first advanced by Barack Obama in the Illinois Senate. We thank Senator Elgie Sims and all the legislators who have worked to make this measure permanent. We encourage Governor JB Pritzker to sign House Bill 1613 into law – and allow this data to continue to be used to improve policing in our state.”