Racial Profiling in America

For many years, America’s law enforcement organizations have been working to avoid
the issue of racial profiling. However, police officers in the United States have increasingly used
racial profiling to detect and prevent crime by taking racial identity into account when selecting
and investigating suspects (Lever, 2016). It has cost some officers their jobs, some departments
their reputation, and some communities their treasure. Many controversies have emerged
concerning pre-emptive racial profiling due to the racial component related to the decision to
intervene.
Preventing and Ensuring Police Officers do not engage in Racial Profiling
Many controversial videos have emerged in America to portray how police officers use
racial profiling to detect and prevent crime. Notably, the MN POST Board Model Policy can be
incorporated into some of these videos and law enforcement agencies to prevent and ensure that
officers do not engage in racial profiling. Pedestrian and vehicle stops, searches, arrests, property
seizures, and investigative detentions by police officers should be founded on a standard of
probable cause or reasonable suspicion per the U.S (Lever, 2016). Constitution’s Fourth
Amendment. Police officers should articulate specific circumstances, facts, and conclusions that
support a probable cause or reasonable suspicion for pedestrian and vehicle stops. Police officers
should not consider ethnicity, race, gender, national origin, religion, and sexual orientation in
establishing probable cause or reasonable suspicion for pedestrian and vehicle stops (Lever,
2016).

Minimal Legal Standards for Conducting a Traffic Stop in America
Justifying reasons for conducting a traffic stop in the United States requires police
officers to articulate and document why a traffic stop took place. A routine traffic stop in the

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United States is justifiable if an officer has reasonable suspicion that a vehicle is unregistered or
its occupant(s) is unlicensed (Kumar, 2020). A police officer requires no reasonable doubt
concerning the involvement of an occupant in criminal activities. In most cases, the
misunderstanding of these minimal standards by police officers when conducting traffic stops in
America leads to racial profiling since no reasonable suspicion is required by traffic police
officers concerning an individual’s involvement in criminal activities (Kumar, 2020). Most
officers misuse these minimal legal standards to subject innocent people to racial profiling.

Obtaining Public Trust

In the United States, obtaining public trust in the police is crucial for enhancing the
legitimacy of police actions and police effectiveness. Building trust between police officers and
communities in America is fundamental to effective policing (Manski & Nagin, 2017).
Enhancing sound conduct by law enforcement officers helps to promote shared responsibility for
addressing disorder and crime, enhancing communication, and improving community
interactions (Manski & Nagin, 2017). A police officer can enhance public trust by becoming
conscious about cultural sensitivity and background differences, creating community immersion,
and using active listening and transformational communication models. In a democratic society
like America, effective policing should balance the conflicting objectives of community trust and
public safety.
What Law Enforcement Agencies can Implement to Prevent Racial Profiling
Law enforcement agencies can implement numerous mechanisms for preventing and
ensuring that officers are not engaging in racial profiling. There are numerous documented
examples of good practices and global human rights mechanisms addressing racial profiling.
These good practices include providing law enforcement agents with positive guidance,

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recruitment and training, data collection, community engagement, and external and internal
accountability (Lever, 2016). The United States government can draw on these ideas to develop
its plans for addressing racial profiling, promoting quality, and protecting the rights of African
Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians, and any particular race or ethnicity.
Meeting Minimal Legal Standards for Conducting a Traffic Stop
Police officers must articulate and document reasons for conducting a traffic stop.
Officers are required to demonstrate respect and professionalism, identify or introduce
themselves to the citizen and communicate the reason for conducting a traffic stop. This should
occur as soon as possible unless disclosing such information will compromise the safety of the
public officer. An officer should also certify that the incarceration does not last longer than
needed to take apposite action on the suspected or known offense. An officer should respond to
any relevant questions from the citizen concerning the traffic stop, including referral to other law
enforcement agencies when necessary. After a traffic stop, an officer should provide their badge
number and name when requested by a citizen, preferably on a business card or in writing.
Lastly, a police officer should apologize and explain that reasonable suspicion was
unsubstantiated.

Importance of Obtaining Public Trust

According to the video, it is crucial for police officers to obtain public trust because it is
fundamental to effective policing. Sound conduct by law enforcement officers facilitates
improved public interaction and enhanced communication between the police and the general
public. Obtaining public trust is also essential for promoting shared responsibility for addressing
disorder and crime. Public trust enables citizens to believe in the ability of police officers to fight
crime and disorder without any suspicions of racial profiling.

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Conclusively, law enforcement agencies in the United States strive to avoid racial
profiling. Police officers in the line of duty are encouraged to observe minimal legal standards
for traffic stops. The agencies also strive to prevent and encourage officers to avoid engaging in
racial profiling.

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References

Kumar, Z. (2020). On Kansas v. Glover and the Issue of Reasonable Suspicion. Duke J. Const. L.
& Pub. Poly Sidebar, 15, 29. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-
556/103812/20190624111603144_Kansas%20v%20Glover%20Amicus.pdf
Lever, A. (2016). Racial profiling and the political philosophy of race. The Oxford Handbook of
Philosophy and Race, 425.
Manski, C. F., & Nagin, D. S. (2017). Assessing benefits, costs, and disparate racial impacts of
confrontational proactive policing. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, 114(35), 9308-9313. https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/114/35/9308.full.pdf