Starting Monday, Cincinnati police officers will write down the race, sex and age of everybody in every car they stop.

        It's the first step in the city's effort to combat allegations of racial profiling. The data will be compiled to see if Cincinnati police officers stop disproportionately more black drivers than white ones.

        The city is not ready, however, to put the data into a computer system and does not have the money to pay for independent analysis of the information.

        New “contact cards” on which officers will record the information are being printed. They'll be distributed throughout the police division Sunday, said Greg Baker, acting safety director.

        “We're ready to do it,” he said. “We will be collecting data on Monday.”

        The city will advertise soon for proposals on the computer system and the analyzer. Work on both of those developments has been delayed by last month's riots, Mr. Baker said. He told council members Wednesday he expected those pieces to be in place in 60 days.

        “We've got a long process to go yet,” he said.

        Officials also do not have a cost estimate on either the necessary records-management computer equipment or the consultant hired to do the analysis.

        Mr. Baker said he expects to have to go back to City Council to ask for money to buy the computer equipment and pay for the analysis. Hoped-for grants to help pay for some of the work have not been found, he said.

        Council members ordered the data collection in a March 28 vote. They also required the collection of the location of the traffic stop, any crimes charged, whether the vehicle was searched and what, if anything, was found.

        The ordinance reaffirms an anti-profiling policy already in place, but adds that any officers who violate it can be fired. Data collection is an increasingly popular tool being used by police departments around the country to track officers' traffic stops.

        Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Fangman called recording racial information on paper “archaic” and said officers already feel overburdened by paperwork.

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