Statewide Race Data Traffic Stop Dashboard Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Wafic Faour, 802.310.0212 or waficfaour@gmail.com
Racial Justice Reform Coalition Releases the First Race Data Traffic Stop Dashboard; Community Forum
Burlington, Vermont, November 12, 2019 – Today the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance announced the release of the first Statewide Race Data Traffic Stop Dashboard (RDTS 1.0). The dashboard will enable community members to view race-demographic traffic stop, post-stop outcome and trending state police, sheriffs and municipality traffic stop data. This game-changing development raises the bar for transparency and accountability, offering an enhanced ability to monitor progress towards systemic change.
“This dashboard will allow any citizen of Vermont to review the record of their own local law enforcement agency’s traffic stops and to note potential racial bias that may be happening there,”said Pat Autilio, the architect, a recent retiree from the tech sector. The RDTS Dashboard, a grass roots response to a significant shortcoming in the State’s approach to addressing systemic racism will serve as a tool for the community to measure progress and hold law enforcement accountable. Mark Hughes, Interim Coordinator of The Alliance and Executive Director of Justice For All says “State delays in getting this done have distracted us from the work to dismantle systemic racism across the remainder of the justice system and all other systems. We’re moving forward”
The Alliance’s legislative agenda includes a constitutional amendment clarifying the prohibition on slavery and indentured servitude and bills relating to establishing a Task Force to study and consider a State apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery; data collection in the justice system and mandating police use of force data collection and standardizing the associated processes to include de-escalation and cross-cultural awareness training and policy. An antiracism bill is pending release. The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance November Meeting will precede Making Data Work for the Justice System, a community forum on the history and future of data collection in Vermont, where the RDTS Dashboard will be unveiled. The initial release of the RTDS Dashboard will be viewable at https://justiceforallvt.org/. Activities begin at 5:30 today at the First Congregational Church, 38 S. Winooski Ave, in Burlington.
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Vermont Racial Justice Alliance
The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, under the leadership of a people-of-color led Steering Committee advocates for the implementation of State and local policy and provides a variety of community forums, panels and lectures that enable folks to learn about systemic racism, contextualize lived experiences and provide important perspective and direction on community oriented and policy solutions.