January 4, 2012
HOLDER-WINFIELD APPLAUDS MALLOY ON RACIAL PROFILING
Seeks To Strengthen Enforcement Of Anti-Profile Law
Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield (D-New Haven), vice chairman of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee, commended Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Wednesday for seeking stronger enforcement of Connecticut’s racial profiling law.
“I applaud Governor Malloy for his zero-tolerance of racial profiling and emphatic call to protect people’s rights in all communities,” said Holder-Winfield.
“Legislators must now do their part and pass the bill that died during the last General Assembly session, which would correct issues in the Racial Profiling Prohibition Act championed by the late Sen. Alvin Penn, and incorporate suggestions made by activist David Samuels and the Community Party,” said Holder-Winfield, who is also chairman of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus.
Legislators have asked Malloy to support funding for the law. Since enactment of the law in 1999, no money has been allocated for its enforcement, and police departments across the state have done little to meet its requirements. Only 27 departments have submitted the required profiling reports on a regular or consistent basis.
A press release issued by the administration said it appeared that for the past five years federal funding has been available to pay for racial identity data gathering and analysis.
“I cannot speak to the actions of the previous administration in allowing these funds to languish, but I can assure Connecticut residents that my Administration is committed to enforcing the laws on the books and has moved forward to get this data collected, reported, and evaluated,” Malloy said in the release.
“Let me be clear: it is simply unacceptable that Connecticut law hasn’t been followed. To that end, I have directed my staff and the Department of Transportation to ensure police departments continue to collect, or begin to collect, this data and submit it to an appropriate outside evaluator for analysis and report,” Malloy said.
Holder-Winfield is also a member of the Appropriations and Human Services committees.