Legislation sponsored by Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) requiring Tennessee law enforcement agencies to implement policies against racial profiling was approved Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Kelsey is the chairman of the committee.
He said the “Racial Profiling Prevention Act” "defines the discriminatory practice and calls for all law enforcement agencies in the state to adopt a written policy on the subject by Jan.
1, 2016.
“Racial profiling has no place in law enforcement in our state,” stated Senator Kelsey. “This bill will protect officers by providing them clear guidelines for appropriate action. That will make us all safer.”
Senate Bill 6 defines racial profiling as the detention, interdiction, or other disparate treatment of an individual based solely on perceived race, color, ethnicity or national origin. The bill would apply to any law enforcement agency responsible for preventing and detecting crime and enforcing laws or local ordinances if their employees are authorized to make arrests for crimes. It would also apply to officers employed by colleges and universities.
The legislation, which is sponsored in the House of Representatives by Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis), now goes to the Senate floor for final consideration.