Heads are spinning, nodding, shaking, and probably rolling tonight after local officials released a commissioned report stating blacks (and Hispanics to a lesser degree), are two times more likely to be pulled over than Whites and Asians in SOME AREAS in the city of Sacramento.
I read through the report last night (not recommended). Looks like Lamberth Consulting–who executed the study and penned the report–definitely earned their money. The reports offers a lot of conclusions, but the only ones I am absolutely certain of after reading it are these: I am glad I am not a racial profiling analyst.. or a cop.. or a driver being pulled over because of my skin color.
Seems to me the central theme and purpose of the study is centered around this statement in the intro “..in many communities, especially minority communities, a lack of trust remains between law enforcement and local residents. This tension is exacerbated by allegations of police misconduct such as racial profiling…”
The PD echoed as much in a Bee article yesterday when Chief Braziel said he was “not convinced” the public fully trusted his department. He also went on to tell the Bee: 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.
Actually the report DOES go far enough to recommend ways to “rectify concerns.” In all the chaos yesterday, the chief evidently missed the section titled “Recommendations” starting on page 71. Not sure how the chief missed that part, but then again I do NOT envy anyone who is officially obligated to read reports such as these, so Joe gives the Chief a pass for his first pass.
In any event, the whole point of these studies is to find out if cops are unfairly targeting minorities, and if so, share that information with the public, and then partner with the public and other agencies with express goal of INCREASING THE TRUST BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC.. which of course leads to the uber-ultimate goal of INCREASING THE PEACE.
So technically, the Bee COULD have chosen a myriad of different headlines to capture the essence of the study, and its goals. Here is an example:
Sacramento Police seeking to bridge trust gap with residents find many opportunities in new racial profiling report
Instead the Bee chose “Report: blacks more like to get stopped” or something inflammatory like that. Then again, gotta sell those papers, so anything that can draw 200+ supercharged observations in the Comments section is a good headline in their world I guess.
What do I think about the report? Two words: STOP SNITCHING. The black community has had trust issues with the cops since time memorial. take a black history course if you don’t understand why.
Across the COUNTRY there are trust issues between the cops and residents–especially in “the hood.” Members of the black community even have a term for racial profiling by police: “Driving While Black.” In fact black comedians have made a lot of money cracking jokes about cops, cars, and black people in general. It’s nothing new.
On the flip side, one thing about these types of reports I don’t like is that they often produce inaccurate generalizations (like the Bee’s–which would have us believe the problem is the exact same anywhere in the city). If you check the tables in it with percentage data, you’ll see how the numbers SOAR in areas where more black folks live. For instance, there are some areas in the report where the “comparative disparity” is, e.g., 370% (Fruitridge and Freeport); yet there are others substantively lower at 8% (El Camino and Truxel).
Do the extrapolated results in some areas skew the overall results? Of course they do, because the “two times more likely to be stopped” outcome is basically an average of averages averaged to an average—err something like that.
An average of averages. Aren’t you glad you decided against that statistics degree?
How did the Lamberth company attempt to explain the disparities? They say something like: “perhaps a disproportionate number of blacks are commuting to Sacramento by car..” Almost sounds sarcastic, doesn’t it?
Regardless of the report’s findings, I’m having trouble believing we have a racist police department, as the headlines would have us believe. That said, I don’t doubt there is a discrimination in the PD’s ranks; most educated people know racism and racial profiling are a sad reality of our country IN GENERAL.
I think we can all agree that some people are OBSESSED with race. Even black people are quick to point out the differences between themselves and other races–especially comedians like Chris Rock who have made millions poking fun at our differences, and never discussing our similarities (which is a huge problem to the spiritually-minded like myself, who tend to view the world through a ONE LOVE paradigm, where all are brothers and sisters who have more in COMMON than in difference). White people are no better. Anyone been watching/listening to Toby Keith lately? Yikes. Got redneck?
Another thing that bugs me about this report, and the inevitable department reaction that will have officers sitting in classrooms for hours on end, listening to instructors drone on about racial profiling, is that officers who DON’T profile will also have to sit through it. And that sucks. Growing up my Dad taught me: It’s always the bad apples that spoil it for the bunch. Boy was he right about that. We can only HOPE that this massive study also collected data on WHICH officers were doing the majority of the profiling–but that’s probably just wishful thinking.
Anyhow, I think it is IMPERATIVE the cops have the public’s trust. In fact the whole STOP SNITCHING thing started with inner city youth who didn’t trust the police. We CONSTANTLY hear the police complaining about how the public won’t help them. A great example of this is the Elk Grove baby shooting case. They still haven’t solved that. They can’t get the witnesses to cooperate. Could it be because the witnesses don’t trust the “po po”? It’s a question to consider.
[On a SIDE note, I myself have encountered a trust issue with the cops in the course of owning this web site. I can tell you it left a very foul taste in my mouth, and made me stop to think about the trustworthiness of the police--something I had never pondered before. Of course I am NOT comparing my lame little web site experiences with the plight of the black community, but the experience none the less gave me a tiny little taste of the trust issue-- and it was extremely unsettling].
One thing’s for sure: It will be an uphill climb for the PD as long as they have some officers who are not doing their job in the most unbiased manner possible, despite what a sometimes-crappy, underpaid, thankless profession they are in. Obviously some changes are in order, and the chief is going to need to figure out how to implement them, and at the same time not further degrade the quality of public safety–which is already a source of great consternation with residents in some neighborhoods such as Natomas.
Personally I am happy the police commissioned this report. I think Rick Braziel is a very good chief and I believe we have a very good police department– with potentially a few bad apples.
I am glad I did not choose law enforcement as a profession. I don’t think you could pay me enough to dawn a kevlar vest, 15 (?) pounds of gear, combat boots, a loaded weapon, and make me sit in a car full of hot electronic equipment for 10 hours or more a day–in Sacramento of all places.
If you’re ever curious about what it takes to be a police officer, just watch the “The Academy” on the Reality channel. No thanks.
Joe,
Thanks for reading the report, I am still confused. Did the report suggest that blacks and mexicans get pulled over for doing nothing illegal, a cop just sees a black teen and decides to stop him for no reason. Are there reasons for the stop. The criminals that robbed us silly this summer were black teens primarily, if a cop saw a black in on Blackrock Rd. at 11 am on a school day acting differently, he can’t stop him, because that is racial profiling, give me a break. I franky don’t care about what the report says or what the chief says, I am so far unimpressed with him-crime stats. don’t lie–hispanics and blacks are responsible for much of the crime in our area, not all of course. What race comprises our gangs? Common sense will tell you that the grannie walking her poodle will not require a second look, does that mean racial profiling wasn’t used? I hope the PD doesn’t get bogged down in PC problems, too late for that. Why the rip on Toby Keith, I bet if you profiled those listeners, they committ less crimes.
As for bogging the cops down, you’re right; too late. They’re already bogged down with more paperwork and reporting and logistics than we even want to know about. I hear they’re in the office writing reports and poring over paperwork more than they are in the field. Our wonderful lobbyists, judges, and legislators have forced our cops to be paper jockeys. You’ll see more of the community as a Guardian Angel than you will a cop. There is something seriously wrong with the system, but it is likely totally beyond repair so why even bother.
I think these studies are helpful–but only if they also call out the cops by name who have the highest DWB stops. I wonder if that was in another part of the report that has not been published. Guess we’ll never know
Joe Joe props for not dismissing the report. You know you’re my boy. Peace!
But look no one can deny a lot of the people doing the crime are minorities. Plus look at this. A lot of people ride around with the bass all booming, disturbing the peace, make noise and almost screaming “look at me!” to anyone in the vicinity, including police. If you’re going to make all the racket you’re going to get noticed-by the police too. My advice: stop drawing attention to yourself and the police will stop pulling you over.
I am Hispanic and I have never been pulled over in Sacramento. Go figure
I am not sure why this report was necessary. I agree with Brian. As long as the job of the police is to protect and serve, they will need to pull over suspicious drivers and if you are driving down the street in a car with a expired registration or a car with half the windows duct taped or with marijuana smoke drifting out of your windows or with your windows so tinted no one can even see who is inside or with a bumper sticker that says f*ck the police (which i have seen in north sac) or you have three kids in the backseat and none of them are in their seat belts, well then, I’m sorry, but your odds of getting pulled over are very very high. That’s just life. Clean up your act. Sorry but we all need to demand a higher standard of self respect.
Lauren,
You are describing acts, not skin color. The report made no mention of cops pulling people over because they had an inflamitory bumper sticker or played loud music. It detailed significantly higher stops of people who are not white. Do you think all persons of color drive around booming base?
Tom, no I don”t think all persons of race drive around with funk in their trunk or whatever its called. But i do think a lot of them do. Don’t you think they are calling attention to themselves? And how rude they are at the gas station when I am peacefully trying to fill up my Civic tank with $150 worth of regular gas and they are booming their bass so loud and the singer is rapping crap like “I’ll tap that a*s from behind b*tch” which I just heard recently at the Chevron station on Del paso Rd. How rude. I want to scream at them. It is so uncool. Don’t you think it’s uncool Tom? Don’t you think it’s also degrading to women Tom?
Yes, playing music that load is rude but as far as I know it’s not criminal. I understand your frustration, but look how easy the discussion on this board went from racial profiling to complaints about loud rap music. If we do it so easily–yes, I’m including myself–it follows that the police do it as well. Again, we should not be criminalizing people skin color, but their behavior.
I agree with you Tom. Stereotyping is a dead end street. Then again, any time you have a report with the word “racial” in it, you’re bound to get emotional reactions from people, from all seats around the table.
Lauren, your point about the loud music in public places is valid, although who are you kidding; people from all races are guilty of it. Just yesterday I was at Shell and a guy pulled in with his metal music so loud it was distorted and rattling every loose part of his car. Another example. We were in Wendy’s today. A lady stood at the condiment bar on her cell phone yapping away while we waited behind her. She knew we were there. She simply didn’t give a damn. We must have waited five minutes. She was white. Where do you draw the line?
As Tom said, these are behavioral issues, not racial ones. Respect for others is a universal concept and unfortunately it is universally ignored by a large percentage of the population. But either way, these behavioral issues shouldn’t be confused with a racial profiling report imo
I find the report alarming. Obviously the police are ‘over stopping’ blacks and hispanics. Good thing they aren’t citing them more, that would be an even bigger problem. It seems to me the police department have some training to do
Cops pull all people over too much. They should be stopping crime, not cars. Leave us alone and catch the real criminals!!!
You can’t believe reports. Statistics prove that statistics are bullshit
At least the Sac PD is doing something about it. Some PD’s don’t even bother. They don’t answer to anyone. So you have to give this group credit for rolling the dice. I think Braziel is a good cop
I want to see the rest of the report. I bet you this is only a small piece of it. I wonder how much they are hiding. Yeah Joe let’s see all the cops names that did the pullovers. I think they should publish the most severe offenders. Cops protect us, but who protects us from them?
How disappointing to read of all the cop bashing, I asked earlier if anybody can state if all these minorities were just pulled over because of their race or if in fact there was probable cause for the officer to think they committed a crime or were about to, or were involved with a traffic violation. I certainly would like our police to be proactive and avert crime, if that means some of us get pulled over, so be it. I think this report and aftermath will cause more problems, just wait for the ACLU to step in, and demand millions for pathetic lawsuits that have no merit. Look what W. Sac. did, they instructed all of their puke gang members to stay inside afterdark, I think a federal judge just upheld the order, if these people live like animals they don’t deserve common rights.
Yeah there is a lot of cop bashing going on. It is unwarranted; although the cops are not perfect, nor should we ever expect them to be. There will always be trust issues. Some people simply don’t trust cops and never will. I support the police department through and through.
Glenna: If you knew ANYTHING about police work (you obviously don’t) you would know that heavy traffic enforcement in any given area always reduces all crime, not just traffic offenses. Maybe the police will leave you alone when you stop driving like an idiot/ turn down your stereo/ pay your car registration. NNA-I am guessing you are the same NNA from Bee posts. You hate law enforcement, we get it. One can only wonder why?
Jim, I agree, In fact, traffic stops have been responsible for capturing fugitives on the FBI’s most wanted list, not to mention those with warrants, concealed weapons, drugs, you name it.
Well CHARLIE
I have lived in the south as well as the north areas of sacramento (particulary off madison) and let me tell you. I have never been the victim of theives like i was while living in the north surrounded by white teen meth users. On two seperate occassions we were victimized. while living “in the hood” nothing like this ever happened. so you say what you want girlfriend but your white kids really arent any
better. If anything they are worse because on top of being theives, they are racist as well. Passed down from generation to generation by folks like yourself.
And LAUREN
By yourself some ear plugs if it’s such a problem for you to hear rap music when you are pumping gas. If some white boy pulls up bumping Led Zeplin and I don’t like the sound, well thats just to damn bad for me.
I don’t particulary want my children hearing music from heavy metal bands telling people how to praise satan and mutilate someone. But it’s just that. Freedom to play whatever kind of music they like. Don’t you have bigger and more important things to worry about lauren??
“I don’t particulary want my children hearing music from heavy metal bands telling people how to praise satan and mutilate someone. ”
You can actually make out what they are screaming in those songs????
WOW