Failing to record the race Although police in Massachusetts generally record the race of drivers on traffic tickets, as required by the state's law monitoring police for racial profiling, some departments show higher rates of noncompliance. The typical department failed to record the race in 1.5 percent of tickets. Police departments are ranked here by the failure rate. Rank Police department Tickets No race Failure 1 Webster 748 189 25.3% 2 Walter E. Ferneld State School 6 1 16.7% 3 Acton 1,379 176 12.8% 4 Nahant 500 56 11.2% 5 Environmental Police 1,186 125 10.5% 6 Lawrence 8,174 808 9.9% 7 Ludlow 607 60 9.9% 8 Fitchburg 2,211 217 9.8% 9 Cambridge 6,072 565 9.3% 10 Cummington 111 10 9.0% 11 Quincy 2,053 180 8.8% 12 Boston 71,432 6,225 8.7% 13 Rochester 417 34 8.2% 14 Methuen 2,474 199 8.0% 15 Granville 51 4 7.8% 16 Shirley 412 30 7.3% 17 Worcester 11,597 831 7.2% 18 Newton 4,997 356 7.1% 19 Oakham 119 8 6.7% 20 Lynnfield 314 21 6.7% 21 New Braintree 65 4 6.2% 22 Warren 182 11 6.0% 23 Wareham 1,684 96 5.7% 24 Merrimac 302 17 5.6% 25 Georgetown 430 24 5.6% 26 Univ Of Mass Dartmouth 108 6 5.6% 27 Tisbury 577 32 5.5% 28 Somerset 1,473 81 5.5% 29 Taunton 1,723 90 5.2% 30 Chelsea 4,617 235 5.1% 31 Westhampton 199 10 5.0% 32 State Fire Marshal's Office 20 1 5.0% 33 Weston 1,761 88 5.0% 34 Upton 951 47 4.9% 35 Montague 366 18 4.9% 36 Mashpee 840 41 4.9% 37 Carver 317 15 4.7% 38 Lowell 6,001 282 4.7% 39 Wayland 541 25 4.6% 40 Easton 931 42 4.5% 41 Univ Of Mass Worcester 91 4 4.4% 42 Hubbardston 569 24 4.2% 43 Medford 2,922 122 4.2% 44 Canton 1,764 73 4.1% 45 Stoneham 464 19 4.1% 46 Brockton 9,109 366 4.0% 47 Somerville 3,960 159 4.0% 48 Millville 276 11 4.0% 49 Univ Of Mass Lowell 103 4 3.9% 50 New Bedford 4,631 176 3.8% 51 Marion 240 9 3.8% 52 Winthrop 668 25 3.7% 53 Ipswich 461 17 3.7% 54 Everett 5,563 205 3.7% 55 MBTA Police Dept. 773 28 3.6% 56 Milford 970 35 3.6% 57 Weymouth 3,939 141 3.6% 58 Revere 2,955 102 3.5% 59 Malden 1,971 68 3.5% 60 Swampscott 651 22 3.4% 61 Millis 717 24 3.3% 62 Ashland 650 21 3.2% 63 Templeton 531 17 3.2% 64 Peabody 5,568 178 3.2% 65 Middleborough 1,869 59 3.2% 66 Bridgewater State College 223 7 3.1% 67 Gloucester 1,116 35 3.1% 68 Dover 299 9 3.0% 69 Ashburnham 573 17 3.0% 70 Hudson 1,126 33 2.9% 71 Foxborough 513 15 2.9% 72 Wakefield 762 22 2.9% 73 Edgartown 314 9 2.9% 73 Lakeville 628 18 2.9% 75 Attleboro 4,452 126 2.8% 76 Hatfield 285 8 2.8% 76 Melrose 855 24 2.8% 78 Marblehead 684 19 2.8% 79 Rehoboth 695 19 2.7% 80 Chelmsford 1,513 41 2.7% 81 Salem 3,710 100 2.7% 82 Great Barrington 521 14 2.7% 83 Avon 826 22 2.7% 84 Belmont 2,598 69 2.7% 85 Worcester County Sheriff 151 4 2.6% 86 Rockland 1,490 39 2.6% 87 Kingston 503 13 2.6% 88 Townsend 968 25 2.6% 89 Sterling 742 19 2.6% 90 Duxbury 827 21 2.5% 91 Winchester 716 18 2.5% 92 East Bridgewater 1,632 41 2.5% 93 Leyden 81 2 2.5% 94 Dighton 204 5 2.5% 95 Holyoke 3,271 80 2.4% 96 Stoughton 1,986 48 2.4% 97 Ashfield 166 4 2.4% 98 Holden 1,122 27 2.4% 99 Massasoit Comm. College 252 6 2.4% 99 Wales 42 1 2.4% 99 Fall River 10,122 241 2.4% 102 Brookline 7,868 186 2.4% 103 Nantucket 593 14 2.4% 104 Framingham 3,858 90 2.3% 105 Brimfield 386 9 2.3% 106 Boylston 563 13 2.3% 107 Boxford 262 6 2.3% 108 Carlisle 394 9 2.3% 109 Oxford 658 15 2.3% 110 Marlborough 4,872 111 2.3% 111 Holland 178 4 2.2% 111 Royalston 89 2 2.2% 113 North Attleborough 3,147 70 2.2% 114 Randolph 2,351 52 2.2% 115 Beverly 2,003 44 2.2% 116 Adams 462 10 2.2% 117 Athol 464 10 2.2% 118 Hardwick 188 4 2.1% 119 Lynn 10,542 224 2.1% 120 West Newbury 566 12 2.1% 121 Middleton 1,096 23 2.1% 122 Salisbury 1,384 29 2.1% 123 Bellingham 1,697 35 2.1% 124 Andover 3,282 67 2.0% 125 Phillipston 198 4 2.0% 126 Sandwich 595 12 2.0% 127 Westfield 2,889 58 2.0% 128 Swansea 1,705 34 2.0% 129 Holliston 757 15 2.0% 130 Chatham 663 13 2.0% 131 Dedham 2,369 46 1.9% 132 Boxborough 673 13 1.9% 133 Springfield 13,330 257 1.9% 134 Littleton 1,376 26 1.9% 135 Provincetown 372 7 1.9% 136 Waltham 4,240 79 1.9% 137 North Reading 378 7 1.9% 138 Shrewsbury 3,421 63 1.8% 139 Hanson 1,146 21 1.8% 140 Billerica 2,429 44 1.8% 141 Westborough 1,827 33 1.8% 142 Agawam 1,108 20 1.8% 143 Walpole 1,000 18 1.8% 144 Hanover 1,667 30 1.8% 145 Norfolk 445 8 1.8% 146 Norwood 2,079 37 1.8% 147 Granby 507 9 1.8% 148 Woburn 5,242 93 1.8% 149 Easthampton 969 17 1.8% 150 Williamstown 634 11 1.7% 151 Petersham 291 5 1.7% 152 Groveland 1,230 21 1.7% 153 Wrentham 825 14 1.7% 154 Bridgewater 2,378 40 1.7% 155 Westminster 1,014 17 1.7% 156 Holbrook 359 6 1.7% 157 North Andover 2,517 42 1.7% 158 Sturbridge 2,287 38 1.7% 159 Chester 241 4 1.7% 160 Maynard 1,569 26 1.7% 161 Northborough 1,087 18 1.7% 162 Windsor 121 2 1.7% 163 Lunenburg 489 8 1.6% 164 Medfield 184 3 1.6% 165 Plympton 491 8 1.6% 166 Halifax 433 7 1.6% 167 Natick 4,838 78 1.6% 168 Rockport 189 3 1.6% 168 Wenham 441 7 1.6% 170 Medway 824 13 1.6% 171 Hopedale 571 9 1.6% 172 Rutland 321 5 1.6% 173 Douglas 902 14 1.6% 174 Berlin 454 7 1.5% 175 Fairhaven 981 15 1.5% 176 Lee 728 11 1.5% 177 Watertown 8,627 130 1.5% 178 Wellfleet 1,131 17 1.5% 179 Mattapoisett 601 9 1.5% 180 Chilmark 67 1 1.5% 181 Southborough 874 13 1.5% 182 Newbury 674 10 1.5% 183 Northbridge 742 11 1.5% 184 Abington 880 13 1.5% 185 Leominster 2,100 31 1.5% 186 State Police 227,136 3,334 1.5% 187 Hampden 546 8 1.5% 188 Saugus 1,531 22 1.4% 189 West Bridgewater 2,029 29 1.4% 190 Orleans 631 9 1.4% 191 Sherborn 1,125 16 1.4% 192 Winchendon 494 7 1.4% 193 Monterey 285 4 1.4% 194 Monson 645 9 1.4% 195 Burlington 3,595 50 1.4% 196 West Brookfield 578 8 1.4% 197 Braintree 2,184 30 1.4% 198 Hopkinton 1,240 17 1.4% 199 Groton 516 7 1.4% 200 Sheffield 517 7 1.4% 201 Falmouth 2,461 33 1.3% 202 Hamilton 524 7 1.3% 203 Sharon 837 11 1.3% 204 Newburyport 1,837 24 1.3% 205 Needham 923 12 1.3% 206 Berkley 386 5 1.3% 207 Millbury 542 7 1.3% 208 Haverhill 2,574 33 1.3% 208 Williamsburg 702 9 1.3% 210 Oak Bluffs 1,329 17 1.3% 211 Barnstable 5,130 65 1.3% 212 Harwich 1,028 13 1.3% 213 Plainville 636 8 1.3% 214 West Springfield 1,278 16 1.3% 215 Sutton 800 10 1.3% 215 Worthington 80 1 1.3% 217 Erving 482 6 1.2% 218 Spencer 1,050 13 1.2% 219 Rowley 730 9 1.2% 220 Leicester 1,229 15 1.2% 221 North Adams 820 10 1.2% 222 Ayer 1,314 16 1.2% 223 Essex 577 7 1.2% 224 Dracut 912 11 1.2% 225 Blackstone 1,163 14 1.2% 226 Gardner 1,422 17 1.2% 227 Clinton 420 5 1.2% 228 Lancaster 593 7 1.2% 229 Hull 1,103 13 1.2% 230 Yarmouth 1,995 23 1.2% 231 Whately 694 8 1.2% 232 Dudley 521 6 1.2% 233 Franklin 1,741 20 1.1% 234 Belchertown 878 10 1.1% 235 Marshfield 1,423 16 1.1% 236 Otis 89 1 1.1% 237 Raynham 714 8 1.1% 238 South Hadley 719 8 1.1% 239 Milton 1,367 15 1.1% 240 Uxbridge 457 5 1.1% 241 Orange 275 3 1.1% 242 Palmer 1,468 16 1.1% 243 Bedford 1,655 18 1.1% 244 Bunker Hill Comm. College 92 1 1.1% 245 Ware 927 10 1.1% 246 Topsfield 1,118 12 1.1% 247 Tewksbury 1,586 17 1.1% 248 Whitman 2,620 28 1.1% 249 Ashby 375 4 1.1% 250 Norton 759 8 1.1% 251 Acushnet 479 5 1.0% 252 Wellesley 3,189 33 1.0% 253 Paxton 590 6 1.0% 254 Sudbury 1,284 13 1.0% 255 Arlington 1,588 16 1.0% 256 Cohasset 798 8 1.0% 257 Eastham 1,600 16 1.0% 258 Mansfield 1,501 15 1.0% 259 Greenfield 1,416 14 1.0% 260 Danvers 3,044 30 1.0% 261 Concord 2,338 23 1.0% 262 Lexington 1,740 17 1.0% 263 Hinsdale 313 3 1.0% 264 Charlton 1,369 13 0.9% 265 Hadley 638 6 0.9% 266 North Brookfield 214 2 0.9% 266 West Boylston 963 9 0.9% 268 Brookfield 862 8 0.9% 269 Reading 769 7 0.9% 270 Northfield 773 7 0.9% 271 Westport 1,106 10 0.9% 272 Bourne 674 6 0.9% 272 Stow 337 3 0.9% 274 Southampton 457 4 0.9% 275 Freetown 1,383 12 0.9% 276 Leverett 349 3 0.9% 277 Amesbury 2,461 21 0.9% 278 Dennis 1,891 16 0.8% 279 Southbridge 1,312 11 0.8% 280 West Tisbury 244 2 0.8% 281 West Stockbridge 373 3 0.8% 282 Hingham 1,510 12 0.8% 283 Buckland 128 1 0.8% 284 Wilmington 2,725 21 0.8% 285 Plymouth 2,346 18 0.8% 286 Pepperell 655 5 0.8% 287 East Brookfield 395 3 0.8% 288 Chicopee 3,565 27 0.8% 289 Grafton 398 3 0.8% 290 Dartmouth 1,198 9 0.8% 291 Auburn 2,582 19 0.7% 292 Manchester-by-the-Sea 547 4 0.7% 293 Westford 1,647 12 0.7% 294 Norwell 715 5 0.7% 295 Lenox 1,452 10 0.7% 296 Harvard 291 2 0.7% 297 Lincoln 1,321 9 0.7% 298 Tyngsborough 897 6 0.7% 299 Northampton 2,248 15 0.7% 300 Scituate 313 2 0.6% 301 Bernardston 157 1 0.6% 302 Univ Of Mass Boston 159 1 0.6% 303 Goshen 174 1 0.6% 304 Seekonk 2,163 12 0.6% 305 Pittsfield 2,132 11 0.5% 306 Amherst 1,373 7 0.5% 307 Bolton 400 2 0.5% 308 Wilbraham 1,411 7 0.5% 309 Cheshire 208 1 0.5% 310 Gill 635 3 0.5% 311 Chesterfield 217 1 0.5% 311 Dunstable 651 3 0.5% 313 Barre 224 1 0.4% 314 Pelham 712 3 0.4% 315 Pembroke 479 2 0.4% 316 Mendon 1,697 7 0.4% 317 Shelburne 243 1 0.4% 318 Univ Of Mass Amherst 1,023 4 0.4% 319 New Salem 291 1 0.3% 320 Westwood 345 1 0.3% 321 Truro 717 2 0.3% 322 Longmeadow 733 2 0.3% 323 Southwick 371 1 0.3% 324 Princeton 400 1 0.3% 325 Sunderland 437 1 0.2% 326 Dalton 438 1 0.2% 327 Deerfield 500 1 0.2% 328 AMTRAK Police Dept. 1 0 0.0% 328 Aquinnah 61 0 0.0% 328 B&M Railroad Police Dept. 54 0 0.0% 328 Becket 104 0 0.0% 328 Blandford 40 0 0.0% 328 Brewster 477 0 0.0% 328 CSX Police Dept. 1 0 0.0% 328 Charlemont 199 0 0.0% 328 Clarksburg 113 0 0.0% 328 Colrain 67 0 0.0% 328 Conway 82 0 0.0% 328 East Longmeadow 543 0 0.0% 328 Egremont 666 0 0.0% 328 Fitchburg State College 1 0 0.0% 328 Heath 2 0 0.0% 328 Huntington 76 0 0.0% 328 Lanesborough 221 0 0.0% 328 Massachusetts Maritime Police 1 0 0.0% 328 Metro Police Lower Basin Dist. 24 0 0.0% 328 Monroe 1 0 0.0% 328 Mt Wachusett Comm. College 2 0 0.0% 328 New Marlborough 1 0 0.0% 328 Peru 24 0 0.0% 328 Plainfield 6 0 0.0% 328 Providence And Worcester Police 1 0 0.0% 328 Rowe 6 0 0.0% 328 Sandisfield 3 0 0.0% 328 Savoy 3 0 0.0% 328 Shutesbury 119 0 0.0% 328 Somerville Housing Authority 12 0 0.0% 328 Stockbridge 98 0 0.0% 328 Templeton Developmental Center 2 0 0.0% 328 Tolland 10 0 0.0% 328 Tufts University 8 0 0.0% 328 Tyringham 32 0 0.0% 328 Warwick 23 0 0.0% 328 Washington 24 0 0.0% 328 Wendell 87 0 0.0% 328 Western New England College 1 0 0.0% 328 Westfield State College 94 0 0.0%   Statewide total 755,689 21,852 2.9% Note: Includes only tickets with an officer's ID number. Source: Boston Globe analysis of all traffic tickets in Massachusetts, April 2001 through November 2002. Boston Globe/Bill Dedman, [email protected]

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