The San Diego Police Department has released the race/ethnicity data on all vehicle stops, from January to March 2014. Sad to say, the data reveals very troubling trends in stops and searches by the San Diego Police Department:
- Blacks are stopped twice as often as their driving age demographic representation.
Blacks account for 12.3% of vehicle stops, but only 5.8% of the driving age population (15 years and up). - Once stopped, blacks are searched at three times the rate of whites, and Latinos are searched at twice the rate of whites.
- If searched, blacks and Latinos are significantly less likely than other groups to be arrested.
Fewer than one in five searches of blacks is associated with an arrest. For Latinos, one in four searches is associated with an arrest.
The ACLU has received many community complaints about suspected racial profiling by the SDPD. In the absence of data, the agency's response has consistently been that such concerns are merely a matter of perception. Now data, provided by the agency itself, suggests otherwise.
Today, the ACLU sent a letter to Councilmember Marti Emerald, the chair of the Public Safety and Livable Communities committee voicing our concerns about these disturbing trends. Tomorrow night, the SDPD will be presenting this data to members of the City Council.
Join us to voice your concerns!
Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods Committee & Gang Commission
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 6 p.m. (Arrive at 5:30pm to get a seat!)
Cherokee Point Elementary School (3735 38th Street, San Diego, CA 92105)
