Oregon law enforcement agencies would have to track the race and sex of everyone they initiate contact with under a measure being considered at the state Capitol.
The proposal stems from a 2015 law that banned racial profiling by police in Oregon. Advocates say it's difficult to tell whether the law is having the intended effect, since most law enforcement agencies in the state don't track who they stop and why.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum testified in favor of the measure. She said it would provide a missing link.
"In this data-poor environment, identifying the true causes of profiling, much less putting a stop to them, can end up being a guessing game,” Rosenblum said.
The bill would require that the information gathered only be used for statistical purposes. Smaller police departments would have up to four years to begin collecting the data.