U.S. Rep. Davis to challenge traffic ticket, but not police
By Karoun Demirjian
Tribune staff reporter
November 23, 2007
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis reiterated his accusation Thursday that he had been the subject of racial profiling by Chicago police officers earlier this week.
The Chicago Democrat was driving home from hosting his weekly radio show early Monday when he was pulled over near the corner of Kedzie Avenue and Douglas Boulevard by two white police officers who claimed he had swerved over the center line in the roadway.
Davis, who insists he did nothing to deserve the ticket, said that as he thought about it, he became convinced that he was pulled over because he and the three passengers in his car were all African-American.
"I know that I had not weaved. I mean, I'm not senile," he said. "Had I weaved, I would have said 'I thought I saw a pothole,' or a snake, or something."
When he told the officer who he was, the officer wrote him a ticket and kept his license, Davis said.
Davis then went with the officer to a nearby police station to discuss the matter with a sergeant. Though he got his license back, he was issued a $75 ticket.
Chicago police have not challenged Davis' allegations, but defended the police officers who made the traffic stop.
"Congressman Davis was stopped on probable cause and issued a citation for violating a traffic law," police said in a statement released Thursday. "We assure the congressman that any allegations of racial profiling will be thoroughly investigated and the Chicago Police Department remains committed to enforcing the law fairly and without bias."
"The real problem is with law enforcement in the city of Chicago, and especially the way the African-American community in poor neighborhoods feel," said Davis, appearing at a Thanksgiving Day charity function in East Garfield Park on Thursday. "If this happens to Danny Davis, then what goes on with Jack Jones or John Smith?"
Davis, who is not planning on filing a complaint about the officers who pulled him over, said he will challenge the ticket on Dec. 28 in Traffic Court.
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