G.O. 10.11 - Traffic Stop Statistics

PURPOSE

• Establish a written directive for recording and retaining traffic-stop statistics carried out by the Norwich Police Department (NPD).
• Applies exclusively to Support and Technical Services (General Order Section $10$; Order Number $10.11$).
• Issue / Effective date: $(05/15/20)$.

POLICY OVERVIEW

• NPD shall comply with every requirement contained in Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) $54\text{-}1m$ concerning collection, retention, and reporting of traffic-stop data.
• The Records Sergeant is charged with guaranteeing sound data-recording practices and timely statutory reports.
• Administrative nature:
  • The order governs internal conduct only; it confers no higher legal duty of care toward third parties in civil or criminal proceedings.
  • Violations result in departmental sanctions; statutory or criminal violations may lead to civil or criminal liability in court.

DEFINITIONS

• Traffic Stop: Any officer-initiated vehicle contact that detains a person and/or vehicle.
  • Includes checkpoint / spot-check interactions if conversation with operator extends beyond mere passage.
• Sub-categories:
  1. General Enforcement – any stop fitting the basic definition.
  2. Blind Enforcement – uses technology (radar, laser, license-plate readers, etc.) or DUI checkpoints.
  3. Spot Check – seat-belt, cell-phone, or other electronic-device inspections (excludes DUI checkpoints).
  4. Geographic Location – physical site where the stop occurs; must be logged.
• Excluded Contacts (NOT counted for $54\text{-}1m$):
  • Motorist assistance calls.
  • Contacts related to traffic crashes.
  • Contacts with vehicles already linked to a specific incident (motor-vehicle or criminal complaint).
  • Radiation-detection stops, truck-weighing operations, or commercial-vehicle safety inspections.
• Data Collection: Officer-gathered information on individuals stopped under Connecticut statutes or comparable municipal ordinances.

PROCEDURES

A. Traffic-Stop Data Collection

• Mandate derives from C.G.S. $54\text{-}1m$.
• Applicability: Record data for every traffic stop unless the officer must leave due to an emergency or other duty-related exigency.
• Officers utilize the Connecticut Traffic Stop Data Collection Form.

Form-Completion Requirements

• Fill out immediately following the stop.
• Required fields:
  • Initial statutory reason for stop.
  • Resulting statutory citation if different from initial reason.
  • For multiple charges, log the highest charge (officer’s discretion).
  • Record the corresponding incident number.

Submission Workflow

1. Officers submit forms before end of shift.
2. Supervisors verify completeness and accuracy—data cannot be uploaded unless error-free.
3. Data is transmitted to the Office of Policy & Management (OPM):
   • Minimum frequency: Monthly.
   • Preferred: Real-time electronic upload via OPM-supplied application when feasible.

B. Training

• All officers shall be trained on:
  • Legal requirements under C.G.S. $54\text{-}1m$.
  • Procedures specified within this General Order (GO $10.11$).

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Chief of Police (Patrick J. Daley) – issues and authorizes policy.
• Records Sergeant – monitors recording practices and statutory reporting.
• Line Officers – collect and submit complete traffic-stop data forms.
• Supervisors – ensure accuracy and completeness of forms, facilitate timely upload.

PRACTICAL / ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

• Promotes transparency and accountability in traffic enforcement.
• Enables identification of potential racial or demographic disparities, supporting bias-based policing analysis required by Connecticut law.
• Accurate data facilitates evidence-based deployment of traffic-safety resources, e.g., adjusting blind-enforcement locations.
• Training assures consistent statewide methodology, reducing litigation exposure.
• Ensures public confidence by documenting objective justification for every stop.

CONNECTIONS & CONTEXT

• Complements earlier departmental directives governing bias-free policing and records management.
• Interfaces with electronic citation systems and Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) for incident-number consistency.
• Aligns with federal recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st-Century Policing stressing data transparency.

EXAMPLES & SCENARIOS

• Checkpoint Scenario: Officer at DUI checkpoint uses flashlight interaction; prolonged conversation triggers data-collection requirement under "Blind Enforcement".
• Crash Assistance: Officer pushing disabled car off roadway—excluded; no data form required.
• Multi-charge Stop: Speeding ($\text{42 mph in a 25 mph zone}$) plus seat-belt violation → officer logs speeding if deemed highest charge; seat-belt noted only on citation, not on data form.
• Emergency Exigency: Officer abandons traffic-stop to back another unit in a felony pursuit—data entry exempt for that particular stop.

KEY STATUTORY & NUMERICAL REFERENCES (LaTeX-formatted)

• General Order: $10.11$
• Section Title: Support & Technical Services – Section $10$
• Effective Date: $(05/15/20)$
• Connecticut Statute: $54\text{-}1m$
• Data Transmission Interval: $\ge 1$ time per month