The head of the Vermont State Police says the results of a study found a small racial and ethnic bias in police stops. Colonel Tom L’Esperance says the information shows the police have to look more carefully at what they’re doing.
L’Esperance says the data "opened our eyes to what’s going on out there." He sees it as an opportunity to improve training and police’s relationship with minority communities.
The study commissioned by the state police found that non-white drivers are stopped and ticketed more frequently than are white drivers. The study by Jack McDevitt of the Institute on Race and Justice at Northeastern University says the data does not suggest the disparity is due to systematic biases by the state police.
It said additional study is warranted.