Missouri NAACP Files Lawsuit Over AG Withholding Racial Disparity Data in Traffic Stops Report

The Missouri NAACP has filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Andrew Bailey for omitting the disparity index, a legally required measure indicating racial bias in traffic stops, from the state's 2023 annual vehicle stops report. The disparity index compares the percentage of stops among minority groups to their share of the population, historically showing that Black drivers are stopped at disproportionately higher rates than white drivers. Bailey’s office justified the omission by claiming the index was of limited analytical value and redundant given the detailed data already provided, and argued the measure could be misleading due to demographic differences across communities. The NAACP also alleges that Bailey and the University of Missouri violated the state Sunshine Law by withholding documents explaining the decision to exclude the disparity index and whether it was calculated at all. The lawsuit seeks a court order to mandate the inclusion of the disparity index in future reports and the release of the withheld records. This legal action highlights ongoing tensions over transparency and accountability in reporting racial disparities in policing in Missouri.