Rhoades v. City of Jackson

A community-led class action lawsuit has secured court oversight to overhaul the Jackson Police Department’s roadblock policy known as “Ticket, Arrest and Tow” or TAT. The suit brought on behalf of several Mississippians who live or work in Jackson and regularly drive in majority Black and low-income neighborhoods where roadblocks disproportionately occurred.

The plaintiffs, in conjunction with the Mississippi Alliance for Public Safety (MAPS), raised concerns about Jackson’s TAT roadblocks and explained to lawyers how they were forced to endure repeated delays as they attempted to get to work on time, pick up children from school, and make it to medical appointments.The lawsuit argued that TAT roadblocks were unreasonable searches and seizures in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The United States Supreme Court has said such use of roadblocks is similar to the police routinely entering people’s homes to search for evidence of criminal behavior and violates the Fourth Amendment.