Pasadena Community Pretextual Stop Survey |
- A pretextual traffic stop is when a police officer pulls someone over for a minor traffic or equipment violation to try and find evidence of another more serious crime.
- An example of a pretextual stop could be when a police officer pulls someone over for a broken taillight in order to investigate a hunch that the person has illegal drugs or firearms in the car.
- The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that pretextual traffic stops are legal as long as the officer has a valid reason for the initial stop, such as observing a traffic violation (Whren v. United States).
- It is important to note that there are other kinds of traffic enforcement stops that are not pretextual stops. A second kind of stop is when a police officer observes a traffic violation and pulls a vehicle over with the intent of enforcing traffic laws and ensuring public safety. This kind of traffic stop is different from a pretextual traffic stop because the officer’s initial intent is different between the two types of stops.
If you agree to participate in this survey, we will ask you questions about your views on both traffic enforcement stops and pretextual stops, the experiences you may have had with the Pasadena Police Department, and your background characteristics. This survey will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes to complete. Your answers will be entirely voluntary and confidential, and you can withdraw at any time. You are free to skip any questions you choose. We believe there are no known risks associated with this research study.
If you would like to speak to the Community Police Oversight Commission about their work, please email CPOC@cityofpasadena.net. If you have questions about this survey or have a research-related comment, please contact Dr. Joseph De Angelis by email at jtdeangelis@gmail.com.