REFERENCE TITLE: motorcycle awareness; profiling; prevention

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session 2018

HM 2001

Introduced by Representatives Stringer: Campbell

 

A memorial

 

urging arizona's law enforcment agencies to work to end motorcycle profiling.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

To Arizona's law enforcement agencies:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, motorcycle ridership continues to increase over time with registrations growing from 3,826,373 in 1997 to 8,600,936 in 2015; and

Whereas, a survey conducted by the Motorcycle Profiling Project shows increases in the number of motorcyclists who feel that they are profiled by law enforcement; and

Whereas, motorcycle profiling means the arbitrary practice of law enforcement using the fact that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related apparel as a factor in deciding to stop and question, take enforcement action against, arrest or search that person or the person's vehicle without legal basis under the United States Constitution; and

Whereas, complaints surrounding motorcycle profiling have been cited in all Arizona counties; and

Whereas, nationwide protests to raise awareness and combat motorcycle profiling have been held in multiple states; and

Whereas, in 2011, Washington signed into law legislation stating that the criminal justice training commission must ensure that issues related to motorcycle profiling are addressed in basic law enforcement training and offered to in-service law enforcement officers in conjunction with existing training regarding profiling; and

Whereas, the 2011 Washington law has reduced profiling incidents by more than 90 percent, and charges resulting from the stops that do occur are being dismissed 100 percent of the time; and

Whereas, in the spring of 2016, Maryland became the second state to pass a law addressing the issue of motorcycle profiling.

Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona prays:

1.  That Arizona's law enforcement agencies work to increase public awareness on the issue of motorcycle profiling and collaborate and communicate with the motorcycle community to engage in efforts to end motorcycle profiling.

2.   That the Secretary of State transmit copies of this Memorial to the Captains of Arizona's law enforcement agencies.