POLICE were banned from asking a certain question during a traffic stop, causing a wave of controversy.
A new Minnesota law now prevents police from asking drivers if they knew why they were stopped, as part of a recent settlement with state police.
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The question is commonly asked by police officers when drivers are believed to be speeding, something many consider problematic.
“We don’t want people to make spontaneous confessions, and we don’t want law enforcement to ask people questions except in a formal interrogation setting where they are Mirandized,” Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality told the local affiliate of Fox. KMSP.
Some members of the police force worked with criminal justice advocates to propose the recent change.
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) reportedly helped negotiate the agreement.
Gross believes this will benefit both the driver and law enforcement by being more direct.
The law was officially signed in May this year.
MAIN CONCERNS
Minnesota drivers will now be able to avoid the question at most traffic stops.
“Many agencies have moved away from this issue, but some have not,” Potts said.
“But this bill will essentially force them to stop asking that question.”
However, many people are still concerned about the new bill.
Criminal justice advocates have pointed out that there are no repercussions for the officer asking, “Do you know why I stopped you?”
Others believe that police will begin to use more creative tactics to get drivers to incriminate themselves.
“They will also ask if you knew how fast you were going. Probably because they couldn’t time you,” one person commented on Facebook.
“If you give them a number, they will use it.”
“Or maybe see if you knew or what your speedometer was reading,” another person added.
“They could be wrong because of tire size, etc. That happened to me, but I didn’t get a ticket.”
‘DIVISION OF TRACKS’
Minnesota also passed a new law allowing motorcyclists to screen cars in traffic.
Lane splitting allows motorcyclists to drive between slow-moving vehicles in heavy road congestion.
The goal is to create a safer environment for cyclists and reduce traffic.
Phil Stalboerger, a motorcyclist, advocated for the bill to become law, according to the NBC affiliate KARE.
“People hear about motorcycle accidents all the time, but when you’re in traffic, you shouldn’t be an easy target,” he told the station.
“If this law was in effect in 2022, I would not have rear-ended you because I would have been between cars or on the side of cars, away from high-speed traffic.”
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