Black and Hispanic drivers in Chicago are being ticketed at disproportionately high rates compared to their share of the population, according to a recent study by the Free2Move Coalition and Impact for Equity. The analysis looked at traffic tickets issued by city police between January 2023 and October 2025.
The data show that Black drivers received 45 percent of all traffic tickets during this period, while Hispanic drivers accounted for 36 percent. Both groups each make up less than 30 percent of Chicago’s population. In contrast, white drivers, who represent about 36 percent of residents, received only 14 percent of tickets.
Disparities were found in every police district. For example, in the Near North Side (18th) District—which includes Lincoln Park and parts of Downtown—Black and Hispanic drivers made up more than 70 percent of those ticketed but only account for less than 15 percent of the area’s population. White drivers received just over one-fifth of tickets there despite being the majority group.
The study comes as discussions continue regarding Chicago Police Department policy on pretextual traffic stops—a practice where officers pull over vehicles for minor violations to investigate possible serious crimes.
“Pretextual traffic stops are the new stop-and-frisk,” said Amy Thompson, staff counsel at Impact for Equity and a researcher on the study. Police “are not only concentrating traffic stops in communities of color, but also for drivers of color driving throughout the city.”
A spokesperson from the Chicago Police Department responded: “The Chicago Police Department has been working to ensure traffic stops are used effectively for public safety and in accordance with the law.”
According to researchers, lacking registration was the most common reason cited on tickets during this time frame. Speeding and failing to stop at stop signs were also frequent causes.
Analysis revealed that Black drivers citywide were ticketed about two-and-a-half times more often than expected based on their population size; Hispanic drivers were nearly twice as likely as expected to be ticketed; white drivers were under-ticketed overall.
Ticketing disparities persisted even in predominantly white neighborhoods. In some districts like Jefferson Park (16th), Shakespeare (14th), and Albany Park (17th), Black or Hispanic motorists received citations far outpacing their representation among residents.
Investigations into these disparities have been conducted by oversight agencies such as the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which concluded that some patterns “may be indicative of implicit bias and/or racial profiling.” Recommendations included suspensions for officers involved in questionable stops.
Advocacy groups behind the report have called for an end to pretextual stops targeting minor offenses like expired registration or broken lights. Thompson stated: “These are low-level offenses that are not presenting immediate road safety dangers, and they shouldn’t be the focus of CPD’s public safety resources.”
Tensions around these practices increased after a fatal police shooting involving Dexter Reed during a March 2024 traffic stop over a seat belt violation. The incident drew further attention to policing tactics following reports that officers fired nearly 100 shots within a minute after Reed shot an officer during his stop.
In April 2025, Chicago police proposed new guidelines acknowledging pretextual stops could occur when searching for evidence unrelated to initial violations. However, critics argued these proposals did not go far enough toward reforming current practices.
The department is still negotiating its policy with community representatives: “This policy, which is being developed in collaboration with the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, aims to build trust in our communities by providing clear guidelines on traffic stops,” said a department spokesperson.
Superintendent Larry Snelling has agreed to add regulation around traffic stops into Chicago’s federal consent decree mandating broad reforms within CPD operations. Although no changes related specifically to pretextual stops have yet been finalized, Snelling has publicly supported reducing reliance on such enforcement actions.
Traffic stops reported by police have declined from over 736,000 in 2023 down to approximately 493,500 in 2025; however, prior reporting found thousands more went unreported annually by CPD officers.https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/05/22/chicago-police-didnt-report-thousands-of-traffic-stops-to-state-regulators-new-analysis-finds/
Meanwhile, ACLU Illinois continues pursuing litigation seeking a full ban on pretextual traffic stops: “Through its mass traffic stop program, CPD harasses, racially profiles, and demeans hundreds of thousands of law-abiding community members of color who are simply trying to go about their day,” according to ACLU statements included with news coverage.
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