ABSTRACT
Disparities such as these obviously conflict with the goal of fair, neutral law enforcement. Presumably, all are equal in the eyes of the law. Any time race unduly influences law enforcement practice, closely held liberal ideals are violated. When such violations occur and are brought to public attention, police departments in liberal societies should change their practices. This is especially true in the U.S. context, where tensions between the police and minorities are longstanding and sometimes volatile (Kennedy, 1998; Walker, Spohn, & DeLone, 2003; Weitzer & Tuch, 2006).
