17 Jun In Case You Missed It Monday: PUSHLA Continues to Push to Have Law Enforcement Taken Out of Traffic Stops
In a pivotal move aimed at reshaping law enforcement practices, the PUSH LA coalition convened on Wednesday for a press conference and rally ahead of a significant motion hearing by the Los Angeles City Council. “It has been four years since this motion was introduced. It’s been a lot of work to keep pushing it forward … to work with them, and so we’ve done all the work on the outside to answer all the questions, do the research,” said Leslie Johnson with Community Coalition.
Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson echoed community sentiment, denouncing the perceived excesses and injustices stemming from pretextual stops, calling them unnecessary “ugliness” burdening residents. “All these kinds of things are just ugliness that we don’t need, and our people don’t need to live with any longer,” said Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who represents the city’s 8th District.
Central to the coalition’s demands are four key points:
Ending Pretextual Stops–Citing racial bias, inefficiency, and misuse of public resources, PUSH LA advocates for a ban on pretextual stops. Research indicates these stops disproportionately affect communities of color and fail to improve public safety.
Limiting Tickets, Fees, and Fines– Highlighting the financial strain and racial disparities exacerbated by traffic fines, the coalition urges reforms to reduce the economic burden on marginalized communities.
Prioritizing Self-Enforcing Infrastructure–Addressing the systemic lack of safe street infrastructure in South Los Angeles, PUSH LA proposes investing in self-enforcing solutions such as such as roundabouts and traffic medians to control flow of traffic speed and more traffic stop lights and signs that proactively enhance safety without reliance on punitive measures.
Promoting Care-Based Response Methods–Advocating for unarmed, civilian-led responses to traffic safety issues, the coalition aims to redirect law enforcement resources towards community-centered care initiatives rather than armed responses by law enforcement which creates a culture of fear when driving while black or brown.
PUSHLA’s Stop The Stops Rally and Press Conference
The LAPD’s Interim Chief Dominic Choi acknowledged the dual nature of traffic stops as tools for crime deterrence and community concern. He stressed the importance of conducting stops judiciously to preserve public trust and effectiveness. “If officers are going out there and stopping anything that moves in a vehicle for no front plate, those type of things, sure, sometimes those can lead to great arrests, but I also it causes damage and jeopardizes our public trust when we’re doing it for a non-strategic or non-focused reason,” he said.
The next crucial step involves a detailed study to implement these policy changes effectively, supported by community organizations and stakeholders. The goal is clear: to pioneer a paradigm shift away from punitive policing towards community-focused solutions that foster safer, more equitable streets for all Angelenos.
“From our perspective, having another feasibility study is not necessary; there’s numerous cities around the country that have already adopted a variety of these reforms,” Chauncee Smith of advocacy group Catalyst California said in an interview last week with the Los Angeles Times. “We’re focusing on changing the conditions, as opposed to punishing a person for something that they did or did not do.”
As Los Angeles strives to lead by example in reforming law enforcement practices, the collaboration between advocacy groups and governmental bodies becomes increasingly pivotal. The collective effort to implement fair and effective policies not only addresses current disparities but also sets a precedent for cities nationwide seeking to redefine public safety in a more inclusive and just manner.
“We support bringing an end to pretextual stops because the data shows that they are ineffective, racially biased and a waste of taxpayer dollars. Although the City Council’s unanimous vote yes for the feasibility report is forward progress, it does not yet change how the LAPD operates. While we celebrate the progress, we want the council to know we will be back in 90 days and we’re watching,” Johnson concluded.
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