HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) on Wednesday received an independent analysis of data collected from all trooper-initiated traffic stops in 2023, the latest findings of a voluntary, extensive data collection program focused on improving policy, training, public trust and the safety of motorists and troopers.
“The independent analysis by Dr. Robin Engel and her team found our department continues to have one of the most comprehensive and high-quality data collection efforts in the country, reinforced by the successful implementation of recommendations to improve training, refine data collection, and examine traffic stop patterns and trends,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.
“Pennsylvanians should rest assured that the PSP is committed to professionalism, transparency and equitable law enforcement practices.”
“The Pennsylvania State Police’s continued investment in a comprehensive and accurate data collection process adds confidence to our statistical findings of no or minimal racial and ethnic disparities across PSP’s traffic stop enforcement actions,” said Engel.
“This level of transparency and accountability is an important step for maintaining public trust and confidence in law enforcement and should serve as a model for other police agencies across the Commonwealth.”
PSP’s contact data collection includes the legal reason for each traffic stop, characteristics of the vehicle and driver, and whether the stop resulted in a warning, citation, or arrest. If the vehicle was searched, troopers document the reason and outcome.
PSP implemented recommendations Engel made in last year’s report, including:
- The creation and refinement of expanded data fields related to the reason for the stop and other items helpful in the analysis.
- Evaluation of the data by troop and area commanders, allowing for ongoing review and identification of any errors in data entry.
- Continued review and refinement of training to include the Safe Highways Initiative through Effective Law Enforcement and Detection (SHIELD).
- Improvements to oversight and accountability, including the continued rollout of body-worn cameras and upgrades to PSP’s Blue Team system, which allows citizens to view the real-time status of complaints submitted.
Engel is a Senior Research Scientist at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at the Ohio State University and an adjunct professor of criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati.
She ranks among the top academics nationally in criminal justice and criminology, with expertise in empirical assessments of police behavior, use of force, police-minority relations and criminal justice policies.
The Pennsylvania State Police became one of the first police agencies to voluntarily collect traffic-stop information when the department first partnered with Engel in 1999 and continued voluntary reporting of traffic stops through 2010. The PSP reinitiated robust data collection for all trooper-initiated traffic stops in 2021.
The complete 2023 report can be found on the Contact Data Reporting page of the PSP website, psp.pa.gov.