By Special to the Town Crier

At its recent annual meeting, the American Automobile Association (AAA), spoke out against the practice of racial profiling by law enforcement officials

Delegates attending the meeting urged law enforcement officials on all levels not to tolerate or engage in the practice of substituting race or ethnic background for evidence as grounds for suspicion.

“We recognize that the vast majority of officers do outstanding work on behalf of the motorist.” said Susan Pikrallidas, AAA vice president of Public Affairs. “We want to help ensure that all motorists, regardless of race, are protected by the constitutional right to lawfully travel across the nation without police or government interference.”

Specifically, the delegates noted their support for federal, state and local law enforcement efforts to gather statistics to ensure traffic laws are enforced in a just and uniform matter.

In addition, the association reaffirmed its long-standing position that the use of public highways by law-abiding citizens is a right, but that driving is a privilege based upon qualifications and a satisfactory driving record.

Eleven states have laws to address racial profiling by law enforcement and several others are studying the issue. On the federal level, the Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) has introduced legislation to require the U.S. Attorney General to conduct a nationwide study of stops for traffic violations by law enforcement officers.

The nation’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its nearly 44 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

- Business Wire