State Police Says It Plans To Resume Noting Race Of Drivers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania State Police says it hopes to resume collecting data early next year on the race of drivers that troopers pull over after a news organization reported the practice ended seven years ago.

Spotlight PA said Friday the agency stopped recording the race of drivers in 2012.

A state police spokesman says it was because of studies indicating there wasn't evidence of racial disparities in traffic stops.

Spotlight PA says state police tracked that data until the mid-1970s, then resumed in 2002.

A 2004 report found there wasn't consistent evidence drivers were being stopped because of their race or ethnicity.

The study also found, however, there were "racial, ethnic, and gender disparities" in how stopped motorists were treated by troopers.

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