FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 27, 2025

Contact: Nimrod t. Chapel, Jr. 816-309-5009

Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

www.monaacp.org

Jefferson City, MO — The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, along with its President, Nimrod Chapel, Jr., has filed legal action against Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and other state officials for failing to comply with Missouri law requiring the publication of the Disparity Index, a critical measure of racial profiling in traffic stops. The legal petition, filed in Cole County Circuit Court, demands enforcement of Missouri Revised Statute § 590.650, which mandates an annual report analyzing law enforcement vehicle stop data by race.

Driving while black is not a crime. In the last century, we were promised that the perception of excessive black traffic stops was a misunderstanding.  The racial reporting mandate showed that driving while black was a real phenomenon.  After state leaders failed to identify the cause or solve the indisputable problem, the NAACP issued its Missouri travel advisory. Six years later the Missouri Attorney General has decided to put the problem back in the closet by refusing to publish the statistics required by law. Hiding the problem is not leadership. 

“For years, the Disparity Index has been the only statewide measure that gives communities of color in Missouri a clear view of how racial bias plays out on our roads,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “Its removal in 2023—without lawful authority or transparency—marks a shameful regression at a time when public accountability in policing is more urgent than ever.”

The lawsuit also seeks judicial enforcement of Missouri’s Sunshine Law against the Attorney General’s Office and the University of Missouri, both of which have failed to produce public records regarding the decision to eliminate the Disparity Index, despite formal requests and payment of required fees.

In 2017, the Missouri NAACP issued the first statewide travel advisory in the nation, warning that civil rights for Black travelers in Missouri could not be guaranteed. That warning was grounded in years of data showing that Black drivers are more likely to be stopped, searched, and arrested than white drivers—trends repeatedly validated by the state’s own Disparity Index. Yet despite national attention and widespread concern, state leaders have failed to correct these systemic disparities.

“By omitting the Disparity Index, the Attorney General has made it harder for families to protect themselves, for advocates to push for reform, and for the public to know the truth,” said Chapel. “This is not a clerical oversight—it’s a deliberate act that shields racial injustice from public scrutiny. The state’s refusal to uphold its duty under the law is an attack on transparency, accountability, and ultimately, on Black lives.”

The NAACP calls upon Governor Michael Kehoe, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, director of public safety mark James, and Colonel Michael Turner, superintendent of the Missouri state highway patrol, to meet with us to plan how to end this issue. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Tracy; Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves; Springfield Paul Williams; Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman To compel this long-overdue conversation, we have sued the Attorney General to compel his compliance with Missouri law.  We will not allow the state of Missouri to go back to pretending that the driving while black phenomenon is not real.

The Missouri NAACP is calling for public support to fund its ongoing work collecting, analyzing, and responding to “Driving While Black” complaints throughout the state. This includes developing tools for community reporting, compiling regional data for legal action and advocacy, and empowering local branches to respond to incidents with speed and clarity.

CALL TO ACTION:    Join us in the fight for justice on Missouri’s roads. Donate today at www.monaacp.org to support our legal and advocacy work against racial profiling. Every dollar helps shine a light on injustice and hold power to account.