A report from the State Attorney General shows that in 2005, Black drivers were 46 percent more likely than whites to be stopped by police, and almost twice as likely to be searched. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for monitoring that data in the licensing of police officers and ensures that police agencies take racial profiling prevention training. Director Mark James says the report needs more analysis to see what is pushing the numbers higher. James says if there truly was racial profiling going on, you would see a much larger number of civil lawsuits and complaints against police agencies. But he does admit the disparity might not help some minorities’ perceptions that they are being targeted.
