Merced Police Department releases 2023 traffic stop data. Here’s what it reveals
The Merced Police Department conducted a total of 3,510 traffic vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2023 — a decrease of 16% from the previous year — but resulting in what appears to be more scrutiny of Black and Hispanic individuals.
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 Merced PD.
Time
The highest number of stops occurred in September, while June saw the fewest. Most stops were conducted at 10 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 Merced. Black individuals, however, were stopped at more than double their population size.
5.3% 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 (72.6%) or cisgender female (27.2%). Individuals categorized as LGBT by MPD made up 1.3% of stops.
Age and disability
The largest proportion of individuals stopped were perceived to be between the ages of 25 and 34, making up 40.5% of stops. Additionally, 1% of individuals stopped were identified as having a disability.
Reason for stop
16.4% of stops were made in response to calls for service, including 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, at 96.6%.
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 categorized as “other,” followed by the person matching a suspect description.
Result of stop and action taken
The majority of stops resulted in a warning, either verbal or written. About 9.5% of stops did not result in any 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.
Relative to their total number of stops, Black individuals represented the highest percentage of stops that led to no action taken by the officer, at about 10%
Following taking no action at all, the second most common action taken during stops was removing a person from a vehicle by order. Force was reportedly used in 23 instances, with the most common form being pointing a firearm at an individual, which accounted for 39% of those cases.
Black people made up the highest percentage of use-of-force instances, compared to their total number of stops. Hispanic individuals were also disproportionately subjected to invasive actions by police — including being removed from their vehicles, searched, handcuffed or photographed — compared to other demographic groups.
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.
Black individuals made up the highest percentage of searches, compared to their total number of stops.
The majority of seized property consisted of drugs and narcotics.
This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 1:56 PM.
