Legislation to change California’s definition of racial profiling was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The measure was presented by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego. The new law will require local law enforcement agencies to collect demographic data on the people they stop, the reason for the stop, and whether the stop resulted in a citation or arrest.
The bill also requires the attorney general to establish an advisory board to improve diversity and racial sensitivity among law enforcement with the goal of eliminating identity and racial profiling, The Associated Press reported Oct. 3.
By April 2019, the bigger police departments will have to start reporting and smaller ones by April 2023, the AP reported.
The recent data collected by the Attorney General’s Office revealed that African-Americans make up 6 percent of Californians, but are involved in 17 percent of arrests and a quarter of deaths in custody.
Young Black men are 25 percent more likely to be booked into jail than Whites, the article states.
The bill was opposed by several Republicans. They cited cost and said it was unnecessary as police agencies begin using body cameras. They said they fear reverse profiling against Whites by officers to skew the statistics, the article reported.
The total cost for extra reporting has been estimated at $9 million annually for state agencies and the California Highway Patrol.
Collecting the data could ultimately avoid costly financial settlements when people are unlawfully killed by the police, the supporters argued.
The governor also signed SB11 by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, to increase training on mental health issues for the state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Basic training courses for police recruits would be mandated to 15 hours, with additional training for supervisors every four years.
