East Carolina University
Police Department
Bias-Based Profiling
OBJECTIVES
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9.
State the General Statute to address bias-based
profiling.
Define Stereotypes.
Discuss the consequences of biased-based policing.
List ECU PD general order addressing bias-based
profiling.
State when traffic stop reports do not have to be
completed.
Define self awareness as it relates to profiling.
Define Ethnocentrism.
List at least two actions that could offend an Arab
American.
List an action by a person of Arab heritage that is
considered suspicious to law enforcement, but a
sign of respect by the person.
Does N.C. have a “Bias-Based Profiling Law?”
YES!
In 1999, Governor Jim Hunt, signed into law a bill that
would require the NC Department of Justice to
establish a Division of Criminal Statistics. The Division
would be responsible for collecting information
regarding traffic law enforcement by law enforcement
officers. The information includes the officer who
made the stop. The race, sex and age of person
stopped. Why they were stopped. If any person was
searched in the vehicle, including the race, sex and age
of persons searched. If any contraband was found. If
the search was pursuant to probable cause or consent.
If an arrest was made or if a citation was issued.
G.S. 114-10.01
Traffic Stop Reports
The information obtained as a result of the
vehicle stop reporting is not a public record.
However, the information can be obtained by a
court of competent jurisdiction to resolve a
claim or defense properly brought before the
court.
In short, the information can be used against
you in a court proceeding where the court
decides the information is relevant in a case
where charges of bias-based profiling or
discrimination have been made.
East Carolina University Police Department
Enforcement Action Taken by Driver's Sex, Race, and Ethnicity
Report from 01/01/2010 through 12/31/2010
Action
Citation Issued
Native
Whit Blac America Asia
Gender
e
k
n
n
Total
Non
By
Hispani Hispani Ethnicit
c
c
y
100
37
0
0
3
140
1
139
140
No Action Taken Female
1
2
0
0
0
3
0
3
3
On-View Arrest
Female
6
2
0
0
0
8
1
7
8
Verbal Warning
Female
89
24
2
3
3
121
2
119
121
Written Warning
Female
25
7
1
0
1
34
0
34
34
Written Warning
Male
31
13
1
0
2
47
1
46
47
Verbal Warning
Male
103
50
0
4
4
161
2
159
161
On-View Arrest
Male
4
6
0
0
0
10
0
10
10
No Action Taken
Male
9
2
0
0
0
11
0
11
11
Citation Issued
Male
150
54
1
3
6
214
3
211
214
Female
221
72
3
3
7
306
4
302
306
Male
297
125
2
7
12
443
6
437
443
518
197
5
10
19
749
10
739
749
Female Total
Male Total
Total
Female
Othe
r
Total
By
Race
PREJUDICES AND THE PROFESSION
Presenting the need to understand cultural backgrounds is simply
not enough when discussing the implications multiculturalism. Being
a law enforcement officer or a telecommunicator brings you into
contact with several different types of cultures. Prejudice may exist
whenever any two groups are from entirely different ethnic or racial
backgrounds. This may be due to fear, lack of contact, lack of
knowledge, and stereotypes.
By the mere profession, police officers and telecommunicators are
inescapably brought into contact with people they do not like.
Individuals from virtually all races and ethnic groups repeatedly
abuse officers verbally and physically to an extent that no other
profession experiences. Therefore, the provocation to act on one’s
prejudices exist more than it does for most people. When an officer
or telecommunicator is not in control of their prejudices (either in
speech or behavior) the negativity will serve to reinforce the popular
stereotype that law enforcement officers are racists or bigots.
STEREOTYPE
• A standardized positive or negative mental
picture held by an individual or group.
• Exaggerated beliefs that may have a grain of
truth.
• Fixed, rigid, unfounded generalizations.
• Judgments made from outside information.
Stereotypes are often exaggerated. People are
grouped together because they have a few
common traits, attitudes, or behaviors.
Stereotypes are used to reject or accept individuals
or groups.
STEREOTYPES
Stereotypes are incorrectly formed opinions. We
have “pictures in our mind” of people with whom
we have had little, some or no contact. These
pictures are acted upon negatively with no reason.
It starts at birth and ends at death!
Stereotypes come from; parents, family beliefs,
non-exposure to groups, television, newspapers,
peers and individual experiences.
“Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least
know.” Michel de Montaigne (French Renaissance Writer)
Self Awareness & Stereotyping
Recall a time when someone stereotyped you. Either
because of your race, sex, religion or the fact that you
are an ECU Police Officer or Telecommunicator.
Remember how that felt.
Recall a time when you stereotyped someone only to
find that he or she was very different than you
expected.
WHO WILL PAY FOR OUR STEREOTYPING
AND PREJUDICE?
• When a mistake is made the University will pay the
cost as well as YOU.
• Adverse media attention
• Lawsuits $$$$$$$$$ (for the University and YOU)
• Citizen Complaints
• Tension within the University and Department
• Public Relations involvement
• Loss of your JOB!
• Loss of public trust
Does Everyone Stereotype?
The answer to that question is YES! Stereotypes are
positive and negative images we hold of certain people,
races or ethnic groups. But, it does not mean that we
are racist, sexist, homophobic, or a bad person.
What it does mean is that the person who stereotypes :
• Attempts to organize a complex environment.
• Attempts to predict the attitudes and behaviors of
diverse people.
• Often times we rationalize what we see to fit our
stereotype.
• Fails to see individuals for who they really are.
SELF AWARENESS
• Self-awareness is to become aware of your own
biases and their effects on others.
• Understanding the effects of ethnocentrism
(believing one’s own is better) and stereotyping is
central to building self awareness of the fact that
you are stereotyping individuals.
• People in general stereotype each other.
The Habit of Stereotyping
Stereotyping is a habit. Just as it is learned through
repetition, it can be unlearned through practice.
Without stereotypes blocking your view, you will be
able to see individuals for who they are. They will no
longer be mere reflections of your perception.
Each time you allow yourself to see people as
individuals you will discover that, in most cases, they
do not conform to your stereotype and the
stereotype will gradually lose credibility in your mind.
Bias-Based Profiling
Bias-Based Profiling is one of the most complex and
controversial issues facing law enforcement today. It
is an issue that provokes impassioned debate and
extensive division within all segments of the
community. Whether bias-based profiling by law
enforcement is a matter of perception or reality loses
significance when considering the widespread public
belief in its existence.
The practice of bias-based profiling has no place in law
enforcement. It is an activity that undermines all
public trust. Law enforcement must be perceived as
providers of public safety and unbiased in providing
the civil liberties of those they have sworn to protect.
What is Racial Profiling?
An agreed upon definition of Racial Profiling is almost
as controversial as the practice itself. The U.S. Senate
Judiciary Committee defines Racial Profiling as:
“the practice of a law enforcement officer relying, to any
degree, on race, ethnicity, or national origin in selecting which
individuals to subject to routine investigatory activities, or in
deciding upon the scope and substance of a law enforcement
activity following the initial routine investigatory activity ,
except that racial profiling does not include reliance on such
criteria in combination with other identifying factors when the
law enforcement officer is seeking to apprehend a specific
suspect whose race, ethnicity or national origin is a part of the
description of the suspect.”
What is Bias-Based Profiling?
Bias-Based Profiling takes racial profiling an
additional step and includes more groups. A good
definition of bias-based profiling is “the selection of
individuals based solely on a common trait of a
group. This includes, but is not limited to race,
ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, economic status, age, cultural group, or any
other identifiable groups” (CALEA Standard 1.2.9).
Bias-Based Profiling - Beyond Traffic Stops
Bias-Based Profiling goes beyond vehicle stops. We
work in an environment that has a high volume of foot
traffic and parking lots.
 Officers - Field contacts, searches, and vehicle stops
should never be based solely on a common trait of a
group.
 Telecommunicators – Actions for or towards
suspicious persons viewed on camera, walk-in
complainants, or telephone complainants should
never be based solely on a common trait of a group.
Racially Motivated Law Enforcement is Unconstitutional!!
Profiling – ECU PD General Order
General Order 300-03
(Click on above link to access GO 300-03 in its entirety.)
Bias for or against any person because of race, ethnic
background, gender, sexual orientation, religion,
economic status, age, cultural group or other
identifiable group is prohibited. Stopping a vehicle or
person, issuing a citation, campus appearance ticket,
trespass warning, searching a person/vehicle, making an
arrest, or taking any action in traffic contacts, field
contacts, seizing assets or property based solely on the
race, ethnicity, national origin or any other group
characteristic of an individual is prohibited.
Profiling & Specific Suspect Information
Profiling does not include reliance on such criteria in
combination with other identifying factors when the law
enforcement officer and/or telecommunicator is seeking
to apprehend a specific suspect whose race, ethnicity or
national origin is a part of the description of the suspect.
Profiling In Today’s Society
After 9-11-01, things changed in our society and
profiling has been brought to the forefront. The
use of national origin or cultural group in looking
for terrorist is a hot topic and still up for discussion.
We know that many terrorists are of Middle
Eastern Decent, but not all. Should we then use
national origin as a determining factor in deciding
to question or stop an individual. Race, sex,
ethnicity, religion, age, or other identifiable group
should not solely be used to determine if a person
is a terrorist.
The First Three to Five Seconds
Click on the link to watch a video from the US
Department of Justice. The video, “The First Three to
Five Seconds”, deals with profiling in today’s society.
http://www.usdoj.gov/crs/training_video/3to5_lan/Intro.htm
QUESTIONS & Test
If you have any questions about bias-based
profiling, please consult your supervisor.
In order to receive credit for this on-line
course, you will need to complete the test.
The test is based on the objectives of the
course. The objectives of the course were
obtained from this PowerPoint Presentation,
The First Three to Five Seconds video, and
ECU PD General Order 300-03.