HARRISBURG, Pa. \u2014 An analysis released Friday found no substantive racial or ethnic disparities in Pennsylvania State Police traffic stops for the third consecutive year, officials say.<\/p>\n
The report examined 423,007 traffic stops conducted in 2025 across Pennsylvania, according to the PSP Communications Office.<\/p>\n
The analysis was conducted by a research team from the University of Cincinnati, led by Dr. Robin Engel, a senior research scientist at the Ohio State University\u2019s John Glenn College of Public Affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe independent analysis by nationally recognized policing expert Dr. Engel and her team confirms, once again, that Pennsylvania State Police members initiate traffic stops based on legitimate legal violations,\u201d Lt. Col. George L. Bivens, PSP acting commissioner, said. \u201cDecisions regarding warnings, citations, searches and arrests are driven by the facts of each encounter \u2014 including the reason for the stop, investigative findings and a driver\u2019s behavior \u2014 not by race or ethnicity. Our commitment to fair and impartial policing is supported by transparent, independently reviewed data.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor more than 15 years, the Pennsylvania State Police have partnered with independent researchers to strengthen transparency and build public trust through rigorous traffic stop data collection and analysis,\u201d Dr. Engel said. \u201cThe 2025 findings show high-quality data, stable patterns over time and no substantive racial or ethnic disparities in traffic stop enforcement outcomes after relevant legal and situational factors are considered. This sustained commitment to evidence-based policing positions PSP as a national leader in accountability and continuous improvement.\u201d <\/p>\n
According to the report, almost 60% of traffic stops involved moving violations, while the remaining stops resulted from registration, equipment, inspection or driver\u2019s license violations. Speeding remained the most common reason for a stop, with stopped drivers exceeding the speed limit by an average of 21.7 mph. <\/p>\n
The vast majority of traffic stops resulted in either warnings or citations. Arrests occurred in only 3.7% of stops, while searches were conducted in just 4.5% of cases. <\/p>\n
The strongest predictors of all post-stop outcomes were legal factors \u2014 such as the initial reason for the stop, observed evidence of criminal activity, the driver\u2019s compliance and any criminal history, such as outstanding warrants. <\/p>\n
The state police\u2019s discretionary searches resulted in the seizure of contraband in nearly 67% of cases.<\/p>\n
PSP was among the first state law enforcement agencies in the nation to voluntarily collect comprehensive traffic stop data, officials say. The department first partnered with Dr. Engel and her research team in 1999 and continued voluntary data collection through 2010. The state police reinitiated contact data collection for trooper-initiated traffic stops in 2021.<\/p>\n
Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n