Black motorists were more likely to be pulled over by police in Missouri last year, according to an annual report released by Attorney General Chris Koster.
The annual traffic report compares the racial breakdown of the state's driving-age population to the racial composition of drivers in the roughly 1.6 million stops made this year.
Koster, a Democrat, says the disparity measure is not conclusive evidence of racial profiling.
The report shows that white drivers were stopped at a lower rate than was expected given their proportion of the state's driving population. Black drivers were also more likely to be arrested at traffic stops than other motorists.
Missouri became the first state to publish a report examining racial disparity at traffic stops in 2001.
Black motorists were more likely to be pulled over by police in Missouri last year, according to an annual report released by Attorney General Chris Koster.
The annual traffic report compares the racial breakdown of the state's driving-age population to the racial composition of drivers in the roughly 1.6 million stops made this year.
Koster, a Democrat, says the disparity measure is not conclusive evidence of racial profiling.
The report shows that white drivers were stopped at a lower rate than was expected given their proportion of the state's driving population. Black drivers were also more likely to be arrested at traffic stops than other motorists.
Missouri became the first state to publish a report examining racial disparity at traffic stops in 2001.
