At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates

Ticketed, Towed, and Traumatized: Driving While Black on Campus

Michael Burton was stopped by Southern Illinois University-Carbondale campus police so many times that he dreads driving anywhere near the college. “Anytime I got behind the wheel, I was getting pulled over,” said the 21-year-old junior from the Austin neighborhood in Chicago. He reached his breaking point in December 2023 while driving with friends — all of whom, like Burton, are Black — to an art exhibit on campus. Police pulled over his gray …

At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates

Michael Burton was stopped by Southern Illinois University-Carbondale campus police so many times that he dreads driving anywhere near the college. “Any time I got behind the wheel, I was getting pulled over,” said the 21-year-old junior from Austin.He said he reached a breaking point in December 2023 while driving with friends — all of them, like Burton, Black — to an art exhibit on campus. Police pulled over his gray Jeep Compass for not comin…