Apparent Racial Profiling in Sacramento

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Posted August 9th, 2008 by JTjaden

[A story from the Bee, a story and video from KCRA, and the CRPC's website]

Report: Blacks stopped more often
By Ryan Lillis

Last Updated 10:12 am PDT Friday, August 8, 2008
Story appeared in OUR REGION section, Page B1

    Black motorists are twice as likely to be pulled over by Sacramento police as nonblack drivers, according to a report [pdf] analyzing the Police Department's traffic stops.

    The report, released to the city's Community Racial Profiling Commission late Thursday, also said black and Latino motorists were asked to get out of their vehicles at a higher rate than Asian and white drivers.

    Black and Latino motorists, however, were no more likely to be cited than drivers of other races.

    Latino drivers "were patted down at a significantly higher rate than would be expected," the report states.

    The report will be posted on the city's Web site at 9 a.m. today and presented to the City Council on Tuesday. Three community meetings have been scheduled next week to address the findings.

    "I'm not convinced we have the trust and respect of the entire community," Police Chief Rick Braziel said in an interview.

    "It's real simple," the chief said earlier, during a meeting with the commission at police headquarters. "We, as an organization, we're very, very concerned about these numbers. We have some issues we need to work on."

    Community Racial Profiling Commission Chair Crystal Taylor told Braziel the report would provide "a feeling of vindication" to the city's black community.

    "The African American community has felt like this has been going on for quite some time," she said.

    Taylor told Braziel that city officials and the Police Department should expect an emotional reaction to the report, but that "we all want a positive outcome, we all want positive change."

    Braziel said that while the report is "a valid study," it did not go far enough in recommending what the Police Department should do to rectify the concerns. That process, he said, would begin immediately within the department.

    [...]

Video from KCRA

Community Racial Profiling Commission website