There’s been some resistance to Philadelphia’s Driving Equality Act. Shortly after it passed, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 union filed a lawsuit against the city, on the basis that the policy violates state vehicle code. A Court of Common Pleas judge overruled that argument in late March.
Germantown resident Emiliano Ward said he feels the law opens the door for reckless driving and more serious crime in his neighborhood. He and his wife recently gathered a group of concerned Black neighbors to meet with Thomas. They asked that expired inspection and registration be removed from the law.
“If I’m not going to be pulled over for my inspection stickers, I don’t have to get my car inspected,” he said. “That’s how it’s interpreted …That’s human nature. That’s just how it works.”
Thaddeus Johnson said traffic stops don’t do a lot to reduce crime, but they do degrade trust between citizens and officers. He said city governments could more successfully address gun violence by shoring up their investigative teams, and building relationships with community members so that people want to be witnesses and provide information on cases.
“The time they were using for traffic stops, what are they using that time for? Are they engaged in the community?” he said. “Are they working with community groups and service providers to really bridge the gap?”
The Defender Association data about Philadelphia’s law shows that though stops for minor violations are down across races, police still stop Black men disproportionately.
Councilmember Isaiah Thomas said he is open to feedback on how to improve the law, and that he will continue working with police to track both enforcement and impact. His office says several other municipalities — including Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Berkeley, California, and Evanston, Illinois — have talked to them about crafting similar laws.