Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office conducts 17% more traffic stops in 2023 from previous year
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office conducted a total of 6,479 traffic and pedestrian stops in 2023 — an increase of 17% from the year before. The data shows that Black individuals were stopped at a disproportionate rate.
This data was submitted under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, which requires California law enforcement agencies to provide detailed stop data to the Department of Justice. Officers are prohibited from asking individuals to self-identify for the purpose of RIPA stop data collection.
On Dec. 31, the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board released its annual report, analyzing 4.7 million police stops conducted in 2023. The report highlights persistent disparities in stops based on perceived race, age and disability and highlights the long-term impact of early law enforcement interactions on youth.
“The annual collection of RIPA stop data is one part of our broader effort to increase public safety for all Californians,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a press release. “Through the analysis of stop data and recommendations for thoughtful reforms, we’re continuing to strengthen trust between local law enforcement and the communities they serve.”
Here’s what the 2023 data revealed for the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.
Time
The highest number of stops occurred in June, while September had the fewest. The majority of stops took place at 10:30 p.m.
Race and ethnicity
Officers perceived the majority of individuals they stopped to be Hispanic, though this is fairly proportionate to their population size in Stanislaus County. Black individuals, however, were stopped at three times higher than their population.
About 10% of individuals were perceived to have limited or no English fluency.
Gender and sexuality
RIPA regulations include six gender categories: male, female, transgender man, transgender woman, gender nonconforming and multigender. Overall, most individuals were perceived as cisgender male (71.8%) or cisgender female (28%). Individuals categorized as LGBT by the Sheriff’s Office made up 1% of stops.
No stops were conducted for individuals perceived to be gender nonconforming or multigender.
Age and disability
The largest proportion of individuals stopped were perceived to be between the ages of 25 and 34, making up 31.8% of stops. Those perceived to be age 14 or younger represented the smallest proportion. Additionally, less than 1% of individuals stopped were identified as having a disability.
Reason for stop
Only 2% of stops were made in response to calls for service, such as 911 calls, radio calls or dispatch.
RIPA regulations require officers to report the primary reason for initiating each stop. If multiple reasons apply, officers must choose the main factor that led to the stop. Officers collect data on both pedestrian and vehicle stops. The most common reason given for a stop was a traffic violation (93%), followed by reasonable suspicion of criminal activity (4.5%).
Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard in criminal law that requires an officer to identify specific facts suggesting that a person is involved in, or likely to be involved in, criminal activity. It goes beyond a mere hunch but is a lower threshold than probable cause, which is required to make an arrest, according to the report.
The most common reason for reasonable suspicion was listed as “other,” followed by the person matching the suspect description.
Result of stop and action taken
The majority of stops resulted in a warning, either verbal or written. Approximately 30% of stops led to no official action.
“The higher percentages of stops with no action taken could indicate those stopped individuals were not engaged in criminal activity, and, perhaps, they are a sign of police intrusion that yielded nothing, demonstrating that the stops should not have occurred at all,” reads the RIPA report.
The second most common action taken during stops, after taking no action at all, was handcuffing or using flex cuffs on the individual. Force was reportedly used in 89 instances, with the most common form being pointing a firearm at an individual, which accounted for 42.6% of those cases.
Searches and seizures
The primary basis for searches is condition of parole, probation, post-release community supervision or mandatory supervision.
The majority of contraband or evidence found consisted of drugs and narcotics.
The most common reason for property searches was the presence of evidence.
Drugs and narcotics and vehicles tied for the majority of seized property.
