Washngton State Bans Biker Profiling

On April 13, 2011 Washington State Gov. Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5242 into law that bans profiling of motorcyclists by state troopers and local law enforcement officers. The new law is modeled after 2002 legislation that prohibits racial profiling. It requires law enforcement training and work within the motorcycle community to better understand and eliminate "motorcycle profiling."



In testimony last year, Donnie Landsman of ABATE Washingrton spoke out about law enforcement's use of a banned Biker101 service manual that discribes bikers as dangerous and prone to violence. He also described what he termed  "catch and release" stops used by law enforcement as an opportunity to search the motorcycle, photograph the biker's tattoos and fish for information about riding club affiliations. Here's the video.

Here is a copy of the new anti-motorcycle profiling law that was passed by the Washington State legislature on March 5th, 2011:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5242.PL.pdf