An annual study conducted by a pair of Michigan State University researchers found no evidence of racial profiling by Lansing Police.
Doctors David Carter and Joseph Schafer looked at traffic-stop data including the reason for the stop, driver demographics, and whether or not the driver was ticketed. The study showed Lansing officers conducted 41% fewer stops last year.
Chief Mike Yankowski says that's partially based on feedback from the public who'd rather see police doing something besides writing tickets. "What we're hearing from our citizens is that they want to see more interaction, more presence from our police department, not necessarily more traffic enforcement way so that means increased foot patrols, that means increased bicycle patrols and interactions with our businesses, our neighborhood leaders and so we're out of our car a little bit more."
Chief Yankowski said another big reason for the decrease in traffic stops is that the department hired 30 new officers last year. All the training required to put them on the streets took time away from traffic patrols.
