LANSING, Mich. — Lansing officials revealed new guidelines for police to follow during traffic stops at a press conference Wednesday.
Mayor Andy Schor said that, beginning Thursday, Lansing police officers will not pull over drivers for what are called secondary violations. Those include equipment failures such as cracked windshields, loud exhaust, cracked lights and air fresheners or other items hanging from rear view mirrors.
Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green said primary violations will still be cause to make a stop. Not using seatbelts or child restraints, not using headlights after dusk, speeding and other actions that put people in danger are on that list.
According to a press release from the city Wednesday, “the indiscriminate checking of license plates through the use of LEIN is prohibited without an (articulate) and non-bias public safety reason.”
If someone is stopped for another reason and a secondary violation is discovered, the person can still be cited. Also, a stop could be made for a secondary violation if it fits a narrow exception for safety reasons. In those cases, the stop will be reviewed by a police supervisor and the officer’s body camera footage will be examined.
After 60 days, Green and the Police Board of Commissioners will review data collected from the new guidelines.
“We’ve listened to the residents,” Schor said. “Now we’re taking action.”
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