Legislators opt to scrap study of racial profiling

A legislative committee recommended scrapping a program aimed at analyzing cases of racial profiling Wednesday after hearing the state isn't collecting the right data.

In 2002, lawmakers sought to address the issue of racial profiling with a law to allow people to reveal their ethnicity or race on a driver's license application. The law also required police officers to disclose reasons for making traffic or other stops.

The interim Transportation Committee voted unanimously to recommend allowing the driver's license data collection to sunset July 1, 2007, and to recommend repealing permanent parts of the law.

"I see the ethnic community doesn't care about this; they're not saying anything," said Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Sandy.

"This is much ado about nothing," said Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace. "If you don't have a suggestion to fix it, I don't want to play anymore."

Committee members didn't vote on a recommendation by Mike Haddon, director of research for the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, that the state replicate a national survey to help determine the scope of the issue in Utah.

"Racial profiling research is very complex," Haddon said. "We think this issue is very important. However, Utah is not collecting the right data to draw strong conclusions."

No one spoke when the meeting was opened to public comment; however, afterward minority leaders who weren't aware of Wednesday's meeting expressed frustration that lawmakers would opt to ignore an issue they see as critical.

Former Rep. Duane Bourdeaux, D-Salt Lake, who sponsored the 2002 bill, said he was "appalled" when he heard of some of the comments.

"As a person of color I took more calls on that issue except maybe education," Bourdeaux said. "To see it sunset because that is the easy way out . . . . We are becoming more and more diverse here. We can't turn our backs on this issue."

Ogden community advocate AnnaJane Arroyo said an increasing backlash against Hispanics as the immigration debate becomes more heated is all the more reason to look at profiling.

"I'm getting calls from people who are getting really racist remarks in e-mails and messages. It's getting ridiculous," Arroyo said. "I don't foresee racial profiling lessening."