With attention to racial profiling in traffic stops by police in Ann Arbor, there’s a renewed call to action by those personally affected.
Following a 2023 report revealing Black people are disproportionately pulled over in Ann Arbor than other population groups, the city took steps to get police to cut back on traffic stops, specifically equipment violations. But the numbers remained high until this August when there was a drop for all traffic stops.
When President of the Ann Arbor NAACP chapter, Andre' Watson, was recently pulled over for “hugging the line,” it got him to thinking.
“When it happened to me, I couldn't help but wonder, 'What if it were just a regular citizen floating through who did not have access to the network that I do have access to?'”
Watson says the experience compelled him to champion for the most vulnerable in society. He calls on the city to continue efforts to reduce inequality through strong leadership.
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