ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 162

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

208th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED MARCH 4, 1999

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CRAIG A. STANLEY

District 28 (Essex)

SYNOPSIS

Urges the Attorney General of the United States to investigate allegations of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

A Concurrent Resolution urging the Attorney General of the United States to investigate allegations of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police.

Whereas, Civil rights organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have long protested that the alleged use of racial profiles by law enforcement agencies has resulted in a disproportionate number of black and other minority motorists being stopped by law enforcement officers; and

Whereas, In recent years, lawsuits alleging profiling by law enforcement agencies have been brought on behalf of minority motorists by the ACLU and other organizations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida and Illinois; and

Whereas, In March of 1996, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Robert E. Francis threw out 19 drug-possession cases concluding that State Troopers patrolling the New Jersey Turnpike had improperly singled out and stopped black motorists; and

Whereas, Profiling on the part of State Troopers has been alleged to have played a part in a recent incident on the Turnpike which resulted in the wounding of three minority motorists; and

Whereas, Recent reports have indicated that there is a split of opinion among New Jersey citizens about whether profiling occurs, with a recent poll concluding that 64 percent of the people of color polled said they believe State Troopers use race or age as reasons to stop certain motorists, while only 29 percent of the whites polled said they believe profiling occurs; and

Whereas, A recent review of State Police patrol practices shows that 75 percent of the motorists arrested on the New Jersey Turnpike in January and February of 1997 were minorities; and

Whereas, It is vitally important that the citizens of New Jersey have complete confidence that the State Police are performing their duties in a manner that does not discriminate against blacks and other minorities; and

Whereas, The State Attorney General's Office cannot conduct an independent investigation into allegations of racial profiling by the State Police, because of its responsibility to provide legal counsel to the Division of State Police in certain circumstances; and

Whereas, It is fitting and proper that the Attorney General of the United States conduct an independent and objective investigation into allegations of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey urges the Attorney General of the United States to conduct an independent and objective investigation into allegations of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this concurrent resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, and attested to by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Attorney General of the United States.

STATEMENT

This concurrent resolution urges the Attorney General of the United States to conduct an independent and objective investigation into allegations of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police. Racial profiling results in a disproportionate number of black and other minority motorists being stopped in their vehicles by law enforcement officials and is inherently discriminatory.