By: Diane Benjamin
h/t a reader who obtained the below from a person who filed a FOIA BEFORE Ty Carlton filed a lawsuit.
When I filed a FOIA for it I didn’t get it.
Review the Carlton case if you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2026/08/13/remember-ty-carlton/
Defendants in this case are:
City of Bloomington
Chief Simington
Chad Wamsley – just left the force after 25 years
Paul Williams – retired after he was put on Administrative leave after an incident with 2 blacks in a vehicle
The courts will decide the Carlton and Williams cases.
If you look at the actual lawsuit Ty Carlton filed, he disagreed with orders from Simington to “balance” traffic tickets better by race.
WGLT did this story later the same month saying the ACLU was still not happy with the race disparities in traffic stops: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-08/bloomington-police-reduce-racial-disparities-in-traffic-stops-aclu-says-the-data-is-still-unacceptable
Note the email below was written by Paul Williams. Does anyone believe the Police Chief didn’t know he wrote it? This is a quote from the Carlton lawsuit:
Ty Carlton was fired in January of 2024.
Now read the email. The only way to “balance” traffic stops is to either quit stopping “people of color” or start stopping more white people. Both are discrimination and illegal under federal law. Was Paul Williams guilty of racial profiling when he tried to detain a black driver? A court will decide that one, weird though after he wrote the email below telling Lieutenants to “balance”. The allegations are that he didn’t practice what he ordered.
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Williams states “bad driving” is the biggest complaint they hear. He wrote that in 2023. Nothing has changed in 2026. Are officers afraid to stop anyone now? How about stopping every erratic driver? The problem should fix itself by the end of October. Race is immaterial to bad driving, they come in all colors.
Veterans Parkway isn’t the problem requiring narrower and fewer lanes. The stupid drivers on it are the problem. The ACLU should be ignored or invited for ride alongs. Statistics can be manipulated to say whatever the goal is.
The buck stops at the top – Chief Simington. I lost all respect for him when he took officers to the Holocaust Museum in Skokie for training. From the comments made by officers who attended, many of them did too: https://blnnews.com/2023/02/20/bloomington-un-redacted-some-from-foia/
Objecting to racial profiling is why a decorated officer was fired. Simington should be told to move along, no going away party necessary.
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First and foremost, I am the person that assisted on the FOIA. It is not a good look for anyone on BPD to say they are going to make someone’s life a living hell because information was requested. How about learning to lead properly. Citizens have a right to know what is going on. Second, asking officers to “balance their data” is wrong.
There are a lot of reasons one race might be different from another race. I’ve known several Japanese people. As a group, I’ve found them to be polite, kind, helpful, quiet, inquisitive, intelligent and thrifty. Generally, very nice people. They don’t deface property with graffiti. They pick up without being told. These traits come from their culture, norms, and social expectations.
Funny story – Years ago I was in charge of setting up a tool storage facility at Mitsubishi. It was on the second floor. I notices there were no doors, no locks. I asked why and was told that in Japan they aren’t needed on a second floor room. I had them installed and told them that unfortunately in America they definitely are needed.
The American black, or white races have their own culture, norms, and social expectations too. The point being is that there is more than one reason for the behavior of any one person but generally they mostly stem from their social backgrounds.
This quota system that our police departments are using ignores all these social behavioral differences and blames law breaking on the ones enforcing the law. As Jenn Carrillo would say – the police are racist! Our Police administration and the NAACP agree. Why? Because that is the easiest way to look like you are solving the problem even if you aren’t. Make the numbers look good and we’ll get off you back.
There is ZERO, ZERO documented evidence that traffic stop racial quotes have ever improved crime rates. In face they backfire.
This email from William is just “Nuts!” #1. It’s so unprofessionally written, as a former leader I’d ask for a more detailed and direct explanation of what is being asked. Does Williams want the officer to enforce laws, provide security and public safety, provide community service or only do that all along the acceptable parameters (ACLU) of the local racial population divisions? Once the “quota” 20%, 50%, 30% for “traffic control violations” is met, then no more enforcement.
#2. I’d collect this and all other similar information, emails, texts, and internal memos, create a file and eventually contact the DOJ, FBI, and my personal legal representative. Chief Williams was and is an idiot and fool, with leadership like this, I done know why certain issues have plagued local Bloomington and the local LE community.
#3. A federal investigation into Williams and his fellow collaborators for any and all retribution against persons investigating any issues he may have deemed inappropriate.
Ty”s federal lawsuit is still active!
This is just another example of justice gone out of control. A local school initiated what, discipline quotas because more students of color were being disciplined versus white students.
Hello, you think that just maybe people of color are breaking more traffic laws and being more disruptive in schools than other people. And just stop this racist accusations the majority of white america is not racist. Are there racist? Hell yes there are racist of all colors and religion but it’s time to stop blaming the whole world you all need to focus on fixing what is wrong with your current culture!
Not to mention, because it’s a minority group doing it a lot, it looks like they are being targeted when they actually aren’t.
Metrics based management and systems have and do contribute to the demise of public/taxpayer trust and trust or organizations in general.
Targeted campaigns by public servants and leadership is proven in this article and email copies you posted.
None of this is new and long history am sure.
Welcome to social scoring aka “Intelligence” tools.
Unbelievably bad.