Thomas’s Bill Would Ban Minor Traffic Stops

COUNCILMEMBER Isaiah Thomas announced his bill to forestall police stops for minor traffic infractions alongside the Octavius Catto statue at City Hall.

COUNCILMEMBER Isaiah Thomas (at Large) introduced the Driving Equality Bill to prevent the Philadelphia Police Department from stopping drivers for minor violations such as a broken taillight. Drivers would receive warnings or citations in the mail instead. Thomas charges that differential arrests for these offenses constitute racial profiling. He estimates that he personally has been arrested more than 10 times for such offenses– at times for no reason more than “looking suspicious.” Thomas said officers pull him over less often these days, but it does still happen – including once, after he had won the 2019 Democratic primary for councilmember. Photo by Wendell Douglas

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