Missouri state senators heard a proposal to urge law enforcement to end motorcycle profiling. State Senator Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, says motorcycle profiling has occurred in Missouri. That’s when motorcyclists allegedly are pulled over by law enforcement for riding a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle-related items.

“Just because somebody is riding a motorcycle and have their leather on with their patches and insignia, that should not be a reason to pull them over,” according to Sen. Moon. “It doesn’t have any teeth in it, but it’s more of an educational tool that we could stop it before it gets too far alone in the state of Missouri.”

A national survey says about one-half of motorcyclists surveyed felt that they had been stopped by law enforcement at least once for riding a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle-related items. Sen. Moon has re-filed legislation that aims to create awareness of motorcycle profiling.

Moon explains, “There could be internal policies between police departments and even in the sheriff’s offices across the state that brings the awareness to the minds of the officers that they need to make sure that if they’re going to stop an individual, whether it’d be on a motorcycle or otherwise that there is probable cause.”

The resolution urges law enforcement to include statements condemning motorcycle profiling in written policies and training manuals. It mirrors one he filed in 2020 and 2021.

There’s been no movement on the bill following its Jan. 31 hearing in the Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee.

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