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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Andre D. Carroll, State Representative from Pennsylvania House of Representatives, on Driving Equality and Traffic Stop Experiences
2:19:12
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121 sec
Andre D. Carroll, a Pennsylvania State Representative, shared his perspective on the "Driving Equality" law passed in Philadelphia and his personal experiences with traffic stops. He emphasized the importance of balancing public safety with improving community-police relations, particularly in regard to reducing the targeting of drivers of color.
- Carroll recounted his experiences as a Lyft driver being pulled over multiple times for minor infractions, which he felt were pretexts for searches.
- He cited research showing that out of 300,000 traffic stops in Philadelphia, only 0.03% of searches led to finding contraband.
- Carroll urged the New York City Council to consider these issues while promoting traffic safety, highlighting the need for dignity in police interactions.
Andre D. Carroll
2:19:12
Here we go.
2:19:13
It was not allowing me to unmute.
2:19:15
Thank you.
2:19:16
First, I wanna give my condolences to the gentleman who spoke last in person to him and his family, for the loss of his daughter.
2:19:23
Then I would like to also thank for New York City council.
2:19:27
I wanna thank chairman Selene for holding this hearing, and I also wanna thank council member Kaban for her remarks today.
2:19:34
I am state representative in Pennsylvania, Andre d Carroll.
2:19:38
I just wanna mention that public safety is a priority for all of us, but community and police relations must also be a priority.
2:19:45
Philadelphia City Council Member A Few Years ago introduced driving equality, which was introduced by Isaiah Thomas, which city council passed.
2:19:54
This law was introduced to help reduce the targeting of drivers of color.
2:20:00
I do wanna share a personal story that while I was a Lyft driver during my college years, I had been pulled over numerous of times.
2:20:08
A few times included air freshener air freshener hanging from my rearview mirror and a single hair light being out as the reasoning.
2:20:17
I also have been pulled over for sitting too long at a gas station on the phone.
2:20:21
While none of these interactions or instances, I'm sorry, impeded on public safety, my interactions with police was not always positive.
2:20:29
Oftentimes, I felt targeted, and because of those reasons for pulling me over, gave me room to, be subject to a car search, with every single time no contraband being found.
2:20:42
A research on when the law in Philadelphia was conducted, it showed that out of three hun 300,000 traffic stops, that only 0.03% of the searches led to any kind of contraband.
2:20:53
While I now may be a state representative, I understand that everyone doesn't have that privilege and that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and not be subjected to targeted traffic traffic stops.
2:21:03
I wanna thank city council, for allowing me to space today, and I also wanna thank, acts that you consider these, considerations as you continue to promote traffic safety.