Police panel approves anti-profiling guidelines

Alarmed that the Police Department has not sustained any of the 850 complaints of racial profiling received during the last four years, the Police Commission approved guidelines this week aimed at ensuring investigations are more thorough.

The new protocols require investigators to ask the officer involved why the traffic stop was made, whether the officer knew the race of the motorist before the stop, and whether race was a factor in the decision to stop or detain the driver.

The commission approved the guidelines after receiving a report from Inspector General Andre Birotte.

The inspector general had looked at 23 cases in which racial profiling was alleged.

He found that four had questionable legal justifications for traffic stops and involved “improper” interview techniques.