Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project

The Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project (CTRP3) brings together community stakeholders and law enforcement to improve roadway safety through fair and equitable traffic enforcement.

CTRP3 Meeting June 2024

Mission

This statement was adopted by the CTRP3 advisory board in December 2018:

Racial Profiling has historically occurred and continues to occur throughout America.

The Alvin W. Penn Racial Profiling Traffic Stop Law enacted by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1999 required state and local police to collect traffic stops data and report the data to the state.

The 2011 federal investigation into the East Haven Police Department brought this issue to the forefront in Connecticut again and led to the Connecticut General Assembly updating the Profiling Legislation in 2012.

Enforcing the law’s data reporting requirement and collecting and analyzing racial disparities in traffic stop records is the primary charge of the advisory board.

We will take a proactive approach in understanding, explaining and addressing disparities found in the analysis by:

  • Utilizing input from all stakeholders to understand the underlying causes for such disparities.
  • Clearly explaining to the public and stakeholders if there are justifiable reasons for such disparities.
  • Reporting to the Office of Policy and Management instances where the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board believes that a police department is in violation of the Alvin W. Penn law.

Current Initiatives

The Connecticut Model

A nationally recognized approach to identifying and addressing racial disparities in traffic enforcement through comprehensive data collection, analysis, and stakeholder collaboration.

Community Forums

Regularly scheduled opportunities around the state for community members, public representatives, and police to come together for an open, honest discussion about racial profiling and how to improve the relationship between the public and police.

Know Your Rights

Public campaigns in conjunction with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) and CT Dept. of Motor Vehicles for drivers to know how to file a complaint if they believe they have been stopped, detained or searched because of race, ethnicity, age, gender, or membership in another protected group.

More Information

For more information on the History of the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project, the legacy of State Senator Alvin W. Penn, or to further explore annual reports and data, please visit our website at CTRP3.org.
 

Visit the CTRP3 Website