More than 3,000 people were arrested during the first two months of the Memphis Safe Task Force’s deployment. Only 6% of them appeared to be white, according to an MLK50: Justice Through Journalism analysis. The findings support assertions by some Memphians that the task force mostly affects Black and brown residents.
White people were less likely to be arrested as a result of “discretionary” policing, such as traffic stops, and more likely to be arrested due to outstanding warrants, the analysis found. Of the 169 people arrested in October and November who looked white:
- 110 were arrested on warrants
- 34 were arrested during traffic stops, including 12 who were arrested because they were found to have open warrants.
- 37 other arrests, eight of which were for driving under the influence, but did not list a traffic stop as leading to the arrest.
“You don’t have discretion as an officer when you pick somebody up on a warrant. It doesn’t matter (if the person is) Black, white or purple, you’re going to (arrest them),” said Thaddeus Johnson, a criminologist from Memphis. “Discretionary would be non-warrant, non-felony (arrests).”
Studies have shown Black drivers are more likely to be stopped than white drivers and are more likely to have their vehicles searched, even though they are less likely to be carrying illegal drugs or guns compared to their white peers…