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human / civil rights
A 2003 report recently released in Austin shows the number of incidents of racial profiling in Houston has not declined.
“I’m not going to say [racial profiling] doesn’t happen," said an African American Houston police officer who did not want be identified. "My brother has gotten stopped several times by patrol officers, and most times he was stopped for no reason.”
The HPD officer admits that racial profiling does exist, but says police officers do not stop citizens just because of their race.
“A few bad seeds create the myth that racial profiling is prevalent among HPD officers," he says.
HPD policy General Order 600-42 prohibits racial profiling, yet two reports suggest police profile both Hispanics and African Americans.
The results of the report on racial profiling, commissioned by the Texas Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, ACLU, NAACP and LULAC, released on February 3 in Austin, shows that Hispanics and African Americans in Texas are more likely to be searched by a police officer.
The Austin report shows that African Americans are 3.5 times more likely than whites to be stopped and searched.
Going back to a 2002 HPD Report, approximately 200,000 African Americans, 150,000 Hispanics and 170,000 Anglos were pulled over during a routine traffic stop. Of those that were stopped, approximately 25,000 African Americans, 12,000 Hispanics and 10,000 Anglos were searched; approximately the same number were arrested.
Houston Hispanic resident Hector Martinez, 26, said, “Because I have a short haircut and because I am obviously Hispanic, cops see me as a target.” HPD patrolmen have stopped Martinez three times this year, but no tickets were issued.
African American Houston resident Sam Fulton, 24, said, “I was alone in the middle of the night on my way home and got stopped. No speeding, no traffic violations. I was just questioned and let go. It seemed a little weird to me, but I can’t say I was surprised.”
One Hispanic HPD officer, who also spoke anonymously, said, “Sometimes potential criminals are black or Hispanic. It’s just the way it is.”
© Copyright World Internet News 2006-07
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