Cleveland police stopped and searched Black people more than three times as often as White individuals during traffic stops in 2023, despite similar rates of contraband discovery, according to an analysis by the Marshall Project-Cleveland and WEWS News 5. This analysis examined the racial breakdown of people stopped by Cleveland officers, using data provided under a 2015 consent decree between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice. This agreement followed numerous complaints about excessive force and millions of dollars in settlements for police misconduct.
The analysis, based on nearly 17,000 police encounters, revealed that Black people were frequently stopped for minor infractions like broken tail lights or tinted windows, leading to searches.
