The number of racial and ethnic stops by police has fallen by one million since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a study done by Public Policy Institute of California.

PPIC analyzed 15 of California’s largest law enforcement agencies, using data provided through the Racial and Identity Profiling Act, to investigate racial disparities involving police engagements with pedestrians and traffic stops. 

“The data show significant decreases in racial disparities in the likelihood of being stopped, driven by police departments, but notable gaps remain,” PPIC reported. “The Black-white gap in police stops decreased by 57%, while the Latino-white stop rate gap decreased by 7%.”

RIPA data reveal law enforcement stops dropped significantly at the beginning of the pandemic and remained 26% below 2019 levels in 2023. It was reported that the state’s eight largest police departments were responsible for more than 60% of the decrease overall. 

“We find that Black and Latino individuals are increasingly more likely to have intrusive experiences during a stop, including being detained curbside or handcuffed, compared to white individuals, PPIC reported. “While stops involving officer weapons remain relatively rare, Black and Latino Californians continue to be more likely to experience this level of intrusiveness than whites.”

While the pandemic was considered a factor in the decrease, the report suggested the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, limited pretext stops, and decreased police staffing played a role in the drop.

The RIPA law makes it a requirement for law enforcement in California to report on all pedestrian and traffic stops.

The study focused on six county sheriff’s departments: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, and Orange; eight police departments Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, San Jose, Long Beach, and Oakland; and the California Highway Patrol. 

“A million fewer stops overall means fewer intrusive encounters — including searches, detention, use of restraints such as handcuffs, and incidents involving weapons — and less risk for both officers and community members,” PPIC reported.

PPIC also reviewed patterns that suggested some agencies may not have reported all stops. 

“We looked at completion of RIPA-required training in racial and cultural understanding as well as use-of-force/de-escalation course-taking by officers in the 15 largest agencies,” PPIC reported. 

“Efforts by the RIPA Board and individual law enforcement agencies to ensure the completeness of reported data are crucial in preserving its value,” the PPIC report concluded.