California police more likely to use force against young people of color, report says
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
CALIFORNIA POLICE WERE MORE LIKELY TO USE FORCE AGAINST YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR
The California Racial And Identity Profiling Board (RIPA) this week submitted its eighth report since being incorporated under the 2016 law AB 953, which was intended to help eliminate racial profiling in policing.
The RIPA Board is made up of a diverse selection of individuals, including representatives chosen by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and legislative leaders, as well as from assorted law enforcement groups.
This year’s report had an emphasis on police interactions with young people.
The report, which covers the year 2023, found that Black and Hispanic people were disproportionately more likely to be stopped by police than were other racial demographics — Black people make up 5% of the state’s population but accounted for 12% of police stops, while Hispanic people account for nearly 30% of the state’s population but were stopped 43% of the time.
Native American and Black people were more likely to be searched by police during a stop, and they were less likely to be found in possession of contraband or criminal evidence during those searches than where people police perceived to be white.
For young people aged 12 to 24, police were more likely to use force against youths they perceived to be Black or Native American; police also were more likely to handcuff them or point a firearm at them as well. Young people with perceived disabilities were more likely to be handcuffed than those without a perceived disability.
“The racial disparities of policing stops, searches and use of force of youth is alarming,” said Andrea Guerrero, co-chair of the RIPA Board in a statement. “Young Californians who are driving, biking, and walking and perceived to be Black or Brown are regularly stopped, asked to consent to a search, handcuffed, sat on the curb, put in a police car, and questioned for information that is recorded on a field interview card before being released. This is California’s version of stop and frisk that causes immeasurable harm to the community and erodes trust in law enforcement from a young age.”
The full report is available here.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The fact is, more guns in more places makes us less safe and interferes with the ability of our citizens to live their daily life in peace.”
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in a statement announcing his office’s support for Maryland’s restriction against guns in “sensitive places,” such as schools. That law is being challenged in the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Best of The Bee:
Local journalism with impact: Sacramento Bee’s 2024 stories that made a difference, via Nicole Stockdale.
Families who lost loved ones to violence find relief, doubt in California’s death penalty, via Ishani Desai.
New California laws for 2025: A crackdown on bank fees, protections for workers and more, via Andrew Sheeler and Nicole Nixon.
PG&E says rates will stabilize this year after a record 2024 of California rate increases, via Ari Plachta.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 4:45 AM with the headline "California police more likely to use force against young people of color, report says."