The crucial impact of a police officer's initial words during a vehicle stop for Black drivers.
A new research paper illustrates how a law enforcement officer's first 45 words during a vehicle stop with a Black driver can often indicate how the stop will end. The study found that Black men could often predict a stop's outcome simply by listening to those same 45 words, which generally spanned less than 30 seconds. The researchers hope the study will start conversations around how to inform training around de-escalation practices for law enforcement and potentially facilitate better relations between Black communities and law enforcement.