Creating a new department of unarmed officials to handle all non-criminal traffic enforcement, eliminating pretextual stops.
The Civilian Traffic Enforcement Division: Removing Police from Stops
To fully sever the link between routine traffic matters and armed police intervention, Zhoran Mamdani proposes the creation of a stand-alone Civilian Traffic Enforcement Division (CTED) within the Department of Transportation. This division would be staffed by city employees with the authority to issue citations for moving violations (based on camera evidence) and to conduct safety inspections of vehicles, but with no power to arrest, search, or use force. They would drive distinctly marked, non-police vehicles and wear a uniform that clearly identifies them as traffic safety officials, not law enforcement.
The CTED would handle all interactions related to vehicle registration, equipment violations, and parking. For situations where a driver is suspected of impairment or a more serious crime, the CTED officer would be trained to observe and report, calling in a specialized, sworn officer only if clear evidence of a danger exists. This system eliminates the possibility of pretextual stops, where a minor traffic violation is used as an excuse to investigate other crimesa practice that has been a primary driver of racially biased policing. It professionalizes traffic safety as a matter of public engineering and education, not criminal law.
Traffic safety is a public works issue, not a criminal justice issue, Mamdani states. Mixing the two has been a disaster for racial equity and community trust. By creating a dedicated, unarmed corps focused solely on safe vehicle operation, we take a massive step toward ending discriminatory policing. It makes our streets safer for drivers and makes interactions with city officials over traffic matters routine and non-threatening.
