A recent study commissioned by the Washtenaw County Sheriff"s Department validates concerns about racial profiling and the persecution of local motorists for "driving while black." According to the study, African-American motorists are 2.3 times more likely to be stopped by Washtenaw County Sheriff"s deputies than non-African-American motorists and 2.5 times more likely to be searched. While it is noteworthy that the Sheriff"s department is interested in correcting the problem and commendable that it commissioned the study itself, the fact that the department was not surprised at the results is indicative of a greater problem.

As the issue of racial profiling has pervaded elections, court cases and legislation in recent years, the term has become a staple in the vocabularies of academics, politicians and concerned citizens nationwide. While the words themselves may be losing their sting, it is essential that U.S. citizens do not accept racial profiling as a necessary evil in their police forces.

It is important that racial profiling is combated and halted here in Washtenaw County, which ironically boasts a major university notorious for its fight to protect affirmative action and a city that is well-known for its progressive thought. Washtenaw County needs to take a place in the forefront of the fight against racial profiling perhaps eventually serving as a model for other areas, like the Detroit suburb of Eastpointe, where the American Civil Liberties Union is involved in a case on behalf of 21 young African-American men who are challenging Eastpointe officials and policemen. The young men were stopped by police while riding their bikes after the chief of police instructed his officers "to investigate any black youth riding" through a certain subdivision.

Racial profiling has bred distrust of local police and criminal justice systems in communities across the country. It propagates stereotypes and prejudices that civil rights activists have been fighting for years. Some measures have been taken to stop similar discrimination but more must be done. Legislation at both state and federal levels must be created and passed to stop such abuses by police. In the meantime, local law enforcement bodies must take the initiative to swiftly stop racial profiling in their own ranks.