Overview
Stops, searches, and arrests are guided by legal standards and decision-making frameworks through objective reasoning when interacting with members of the public without undue harm or risk to the community or officers.
These police actions require comprehensive policies, procedures, accountability monitoring procedures, training programs, supervision, and public transparency.
Agency Spotlight
A Safer Approach to Traffic Stops
The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, Saint Paul Police Department, Roseville Police Department, and Maplewood Police Department are working together to strengthen community trust by reducing non-public safety traffic stops. Since shifting focus in 2021 toward enforcing moving violations that directly impact safety, the county has seen significant declines in low-level stops, reduced racial bias, and no negative effect on public-safety outcomes.
This collaborative work also includes the Lights On! partnership, which replaces equipment-violation stops with repair vouchers that help drivers address vehicle issues quickly while promoting safer roads for everyone.
Together, these agencies are advancing a fair, effective, and community-centered approach to public safety.
Self-Review Tool
The Knowledge Lab is developing an online self-review tool to help agencies reflect on their current policies and practices evaluate them against research and evidence-informed practices their performance in key areas of policing. This tool is intended to provide a snapshot of where an agency currently stands within this core practice area. There are no right or wrong answers, only an opportunity for honest reflection, learning, and continuous improvement.
Resources Related to Stops, Searches, and Arrests
The information provided within these modules has been gathered from various sources, including legal reviews, research, and practitioner and department-developed resources. These webpage modules are intended to be a guide for departments to use to improve their policing practices. Additional information and resources may be needed to implement the recommendations successfully. This resource is intended to be dynamic, and the Knowledge Lab will continue to update and add to these modules to provide additional and current guidance for departments.