SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is seeking a federal investigation of possible discrimination in the way Illinois state police handle searches during traffic stops.
The ACLU says state police are far more likely to
ask minority drivers for permission to search their cars.
In some years, state police were nearly four times
more likely to ask Hispanic drivers than white drivers to allow a search and
three times more likely to ask black drivers. The ACLU says statistics show
state police actually found illegal contraband more often among white drivers.
The ACLU said Tuesday that Illinois officials have
ignored the issue, so they're asking the U.S. Department of Justice to get
involved.
There was no immediate response from the state
police.
Copyright
2011 The Associated Press.
