SAN DIEGO - In hopes of ending racial profiling by law enforcement, the state of California is giving residents a chance to chime in on the final regulations that will shape what information law enforcement collects during traffic stops.

This is the last public comment phase of California's Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, also known as Assembly Bill (AB) 953. Once the regulations become final, police departments will begin implementing them and prepare to collect traffic stop data in 2018.

The public comment period is open from August 1, 2017, to August 15, 2017. Californians can comment directly on the California Department of Justice website. More information on the regulations can be found here.

Andrea Guerrero, Executive Director of Alliance San Diego and a member of the Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory (RIPA) Board, which advised the Office of the Attorney General in the development of the new regulations, released the following statement:

“This is an important step for Californians to use their voices to ensure that they are being treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement officers. The State of California has given residents the unique opportunity to weigh in on safety and justice issues that directly impact them. We need to hear from community members who have experienced racial or identity profiling to better understand how profiling happens and its impact on individuals and communities. It is up to us to use this opportunity to make both our voices and concerns heard.”

 About Alliance San Diego

Alliance San Diego is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) community empowerment organization working to ensure that all people can achieve their full potential in an environment of harmony, safety, equality, and justice. Our mission is to to provide a means for diverse individuals and organizations to share information, collaborate on issues and mobilize for change in the pursuit of social justice, especially in low-income communities and communities of color. We pursue this mission through targeted civic engagement programs and strategic coalitions that focus on specific issues and policy reforms.