PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. – A report from the Nebraska Crime Commission says that the disproportionate percentage of black drivers pulled over by Lincoln police has climbed over the last five years even as police officials gave more attention to the problem.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that black drivers accounted for about one in every 10 motorists pulled over last year even though African Americans only accounted for a little over 4 percent of the city’s population.

The report released in March highlights the racial disparities among traffic stops for agencies like the Lincoln Police Department but doesn’t give an explanation behind them. Police officials deny racial profiling drives the disparity.

The commission has been tracking data on racial breakdowns of traffic stops and the results since 2001.