Litmus’ KnowNow Initiative to

Connecticut law prohibits law-enforcement officers from stopping, detaining, or searching motorists based solely on their personal characteristics. To ensure compliance, the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at the University of Connecticut (UConn) collects, maintains, and provides public access to traffic-stop data. With funding from the US Department of Transportation, UConn has funded Litmus’ KnowNow initiative to assist with their Racial Profiling Prohibition Project. KnowNow leverages advances in data management, automation, machine learning, and visualization to provide real-time research to government agencies.

Over the last year, the KnowNow team has built a prototype of data tools and software that detect potential bias using several methodologies. The Litmus team will expand on the functionality of these tools and create a public-facing dashboard that allows the public to easily view and interpret data on traffic stops in Connecticut. The aim is to improve public safety and fairness through data-informed policing and oversight.