„While this is a step in the right direction, if they [police] want to pull you over, they can just find a different reason,“ said former chief Hennepin County public defender Mary Moriarty.
Minneapolis police will no longer stop drivers for minor traffic violations like expired tags, items dangling from a mirror, or not having a working license plate light, the Associated Press reported. Chief Medaria Arradondo said in a Thursday memo the policy change was a move to recognize „the continued importance of examining how we can better utilize time, resources and operational effectiveness.“ Teresa Nelson, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, said that this was „a welcome development,“ according to the Star Tribune. However, Nelson believes the department can go further „and expand it to all low-level violations that don’t affect public safety.“ „I think there’s a growing recognition in Minnesota and around the country that these kind of punitive policies are basically punishing for people for being poor,“ Nelson said.
