EDIE ZUVANICH Special to the Press
HUTTO — Police officers made almost 6,000 traffic stops in 2023, and received no complaints of racism filed against any officer. Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough presented the results of the department’s state-mandated racial profiling report to the city at a Jan. 18 meeting.
“Race is not a factor that we’re looking at when we make a traffic stop,” Yarbrough said. “If we’ve got a traffic infraction, somebody speeding coming to us, the first thing we want to do is we’re looking at our radar, we’re looking at that vehicle, we’re looking at that license plate because if that vehicle gets down the road I want to be able to identify the license plate. Seeing that driver doesn’t help me.”
White drivers accounted for almost half of all traffic stops with 2,877 infractions. Hispanics and Latinos represented less than 30% of stops (1,731) and Black drivers 17% (1,007). Alaska Native/American Indian and Asian/Pacific Islander together made up about 5% of stops.
“This is not a reflection of those that are in the population. You have people from all over using our highways, so the traffic stops are not a reflection of the demographics or the population of the community,” Yarbrough said.
Of the 5,917 traffic stops made, officers reported that they knew the race of the driver before the stop in only six instances. Still, there is some disparity in what happens after the driver is stopped.
Yarbrough said the department
focuses on ensuring public safety and encouraging voluntary compliance with traffic laws, so officers issue more written warnings than actual citations.
“We’re not out looking to harm anybody. We’re looking to help everybody,” Yarbrough said.
A full 60% of drivers stopped get off with a warning, but according to the statistics, you may have a greater chance of receiving a ticket depending on your ethnicity.
Just over 21% of drivers identified as Alaska native or American Indian were given citations when stopped.
Asian drivers were ticketed 28.4% of the time.
Black drivers had about a one in three chance of receiving just a warning, with almost 35% getting cited.
Just over 37% of white drivers received tickets when stopped.
Hispanic and Latino drivers had the highest chance to be ticketed, with citations issued in 46.69% of those stops.
According to the chief’s report, 68 people were arrested as a result of traffic stops. No physical force was used for any arrest in 2023.
Yarbrough reported that with no racial bias complaints against any officer, the department is in full compliance with Texas racial profiling laws.
The police department has established protocols for anyone who wants to report an incident involving racism, and shift supervisors regularly audit recordings from traffic stops.
Mayor Mike Snyder commended the chief on the improvements to the department since he was hired. He said before Yarbrough took over, he would have officers stop by his house weekly to complain about how bad it was to work for the police department.
“Over the past two years the morale that I see in our officers is so much changed,” Snyder said. “You’ve started the healing and we’re progressing, and the numbers you show are only going to get better.”
