Chicago Police Traffic Stops Decline but Racial Disparities Persist, Reports Show

Decline in Traffic Stops Amidst Ongoing Racial Disparities

In a revealing 2025 report by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the number of traffic stops conducted by the Chicago Police Department has significantly declined, yet the racial disparities in those stops continue to raise eyebrows. The report disclosed that Chicago police made a total of 224,851 traffic stops in 2025, marking a 23.3% decrease from 2024 and a dramatic 58.0% drop from 2023.

Despite this decrease in overall traffic stops, the data reveals troubling trends in racial profiling. Black drivers were found to be 3.6 times more likely to be stopped than white drivers, while Latino drivers faced similar disparities, being 2.85 times more likely to be pulled over, according to one of IDOT's analytic benchmarks. Another method indicated even higher disparities, with Black drivers being stopped 5.6 times more frequently and Latino drivers 6.9 times more likely than their white counterparts.

Criticism of Traffic Stop Policies

Approximately 67.6% of the traffic stops in Chicago were for non-moving violations. Critics argue that officers frequently utilize minor offenses—like expired vehicle registration and broken taillights—as a pretext for stops, which are often viewed as a means to search for more serious offenses. Maya Simkin, a fellow with the Chicago Appleseed and a member of the Free2Move Coalition, expressed concern, stating, “It’s not about posing a genuine safety risk.”

Concerns regarding the police's perspective on traffic stops as legitimate crime-fighting tools were echoed by Craig Futterman, a law professor at the University of Chicago. He suggested that while these practices might not originate from malicious intent, they have resulted in significant harm to community trust and safety, particularly among racial minorities facing disproportionate scrutiny.

Legal Action and Ongoing Investigations

In 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois initiated a lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department over their targeting of Black and Latino drivers during mass traffic stops. This lawsuit has since been certified as a class action, representing all current and future impacted drivers. According to Alexandra Block, director of the ACLU’s Criminal Legal Systems and Policing Project, despite being aware of the traffic stop reports, the police department has not implemented any substantial changes.

Former Superintendent Larry Snelling, who took over leadership in late 2023, has indicated a shift in focus toward violent crime reduction, claiming a reduction in traffic stops is already underway. However, the persistent racial disparities in enforcement continue to draw scrutiny, and a federal judge has ordered Snelling to testify in the ongoing ACLU lawsuit.

Statewide Trends and Broader Implications

While the Chicago Police Department saw a reduction in traffic stops, law enforcement agencies across the state collectively reported over 2 million traffic stops last year. This reflects an increasing trend, with other agencies outside of Chicago experiencing a 48.9% increase in traffic stops since 2020. Notably, nearly all reported law enforcement agencies in Illinois similarly pulled over Black and Latino drivers at higher rates while more than 19% of law enforcement agencies did not report any data.

Civil rights advocates like Futterman are advocating for a prohibition on pretextual stops to address persistent racial profiling issues. Futterman highlighted recent studies from San Francisco, where bans on such stops did not decrease crime rates but did reduce racial disparities in police stops.

Moving Forward: Calls for Reform

The report reaffirms ongoing debates about police practices and their societal impact, particularly regarding racial equity. With lawmakers and advocates continuing to push for reform in how traffic stops are conducted, the state of Illinois could see significant changes aimed at improving community relations and reducing bias in policing.

As the investigation continues and legal proceedings unfold, the Chicago Police Department faces mounting pressure to reconsider its traffic stop practices amidst these troubling findings.