On April 15, I sent the following email to the Vancouver Police Department: “I write to make a suggestion that might reduce police shootings. Many shootings of brown and Black men around the country involve traffic stops. I would like to see an end to these stops for minor infractions. In 2021, there are many electronic resources that could take the place of such stops. For example, if an officer spots someone with expired plates or a broken tail light, he/she could make note of the license number and mail a warning giving the car owner, say, 30 days to take care of the issue or face a fine. We must do what we can to avoid situations that can rapidly escalate into violence where minor infractions are concerned. Please consider this suggestion before more lives are lost.”
I received an automatic response, saying it might be a while before I received a reply. It has been three months and I have heard nothing. In the meantime, the death of Jenoah Donald has been ruled “justified.” The time for suggestions has passed. It is time for traffic stops to end. If Donald had not been stopped for a broken tail light, he would still be alive.
