Home California Attorney General Announces Final Regulations to Implement Racial and Identity Profiling Act

Attorney General Announces Final Regulations to Implement Racial and Identity Profiling Act

by ECT

Regulations prescribe process for collecting data pertaining to law enforcement stops

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that the regulations drafted by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) for the collection of data pertaining to law enforcement stops under Assembly Bill 953 (AB 953), the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) of 2015, are now final. Beginning July 1, 2018, law enforcement agencies, starting with the nine largest agencies, will begin collecting stop data and reporting the information to the DOJ.

“Public safety is a job for all of us – our peace officers, of course, but a cooperative citizenry as well. Trust is the glue that makes the relationship between law enforcement and the community work,” said Attorney General Becerra. “This new RIPA data collection and reporting process is meant to strengthen, and in some cases repair, that trust. The regulations are a product of collaboration among community leaders, law enforcement professionals and researchers in the public safety field. I thank everyone who participated in the formulation of these regulations.”

“The California Police Chiefs Association has routinely proven to be a collaborative partner with various stakeholders throughout California in our efforts to increase public safety and enhance community trust in law enforcement,” said Chief Edward Medrano, Co-Chair of the RIPA Advisory Board and President of the California Police Chiefs Association. “The Racial and Identity Profiling Act and the recently approved regulations is another tool to ensure our officers continue to provide fair and impartial policing to the communities we serve.”

“Racial and identify profiling has created trauma across California and the passage of AB 953 in 2015 sent a clarion call to the public safety system that necessary change was upon us,” said Reverend Ben McBride, Co-Chair of the RIPA Advisory Board and Co-Director of People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) CA. “The RIPA Board worked alongside the Department of Justice and those closest to the pain around these issues, creating regulations for how we collect the data. We now continue the sacred work of ensuring California is a state where all, despite of difference, are treated with respect and fairness under the law.”

“We need to move beyond the rhetoric and the entrenched positions on this issue,” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber, the author of AB 953. “It’s time for us to address bias in policing from a policymaking perspective. With these regulations we will have the comprehensive hard data necessary to understand the scope of the problem and to make practical decisions about how to reduce over-policing persons of color, a practice that wastes resources, engenders mistrust and compromises public safety.”

The RIPA regulations give law enforcement agencies and their officers clear instruction regarding what data to report about stops, and the logistics of how and when to report this stop data. DOJ completed the regulations after thoroughly considering the oral and written commentary from hundreds of stakeholders, including the law enforcement community, academics, and community advocates. DOJ also reviewed stop data collection programs in other jurisdictions and conducted a field test to better understand the practical implications of this data collection.

The regulations require, among other things, that officers collect and transmit to the DOJ the following information:

  • Date, time, duration, location and type of stop
  • Reason for the stop
  • Any actions taken by an officer during the stop
  • Result of the stop
  • The officer’s perception of the gender, race/nationality, and approximate age of the person stopped, and whether the officer perceives that the person is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
  • Whether the person stopped has limited or no English fluency
  • The officer’s perception or knowledge that the person has a disability

The first round of data collection, starting with the largest law enforcement agencies, will begin on July 1, 2018.

The regulations, including a complete list of the information required to be reported for each stop, can be found online at www.oag.ca.gov/ab953/regulations.

BACKGROUND

The DOJ published the original proposed stop data regulations in December 2016, as required by AB 953, to specify the data that local and certain state law enforcement agencies will be required to collect and report to the DOJ on each stop by a law enforcement officer. After receiving hundreds of comments from stakeholders during an initial 45-day public comment period, the DOJ revised the regulations.

In August 2017, Attorney General Becerra posted revised proposed regulations and opened a 15-day public comment period for stakeholders to participate in the process.

Stakeholders that provided input include the RIPA Board; state and local law enforcement agencies and associations; civil rights groups; individuals representing the LGBTQ, immigrant, disability and youth rights communities; community organizations; and members of academia. The Attorney General’s Office appreciates and thanks all stakeholders who participated in this process.

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17 comments

Nick Nov 15, 2017 - 3:22 pm

Everyone profiles. People are human. The only trauma is towards the victims of crime. Screw everyone else.

Berry Jrown Nov 15, 2017 - 4:45 pm

This is all to preserve their illegal buddies from being deported so they can keep voting for these crooked Democrats! VOTE R and end the corruption in CA

Juan Tejeda Nov 15, 2017 - 5:08 pm

What a JOKE, after 40+ years of LE, this is the biggest Bullshit i have seen. Im Hispanic, USA born and Proud American Citizen. I have always been proud of my heritage but am a firm believer that the only persons thst I ever “Profiled” were crooks. I never cared about Race, Color, Creed, Religion, ethnic background or gender preference. My only concern was is he/she a crook or not. Follow the laws and there was never a problem, but guve me some probible cause and you were fair game. Crook Profiling is a tool not a way of pucking on any one in particular that is not breaking the law.
This is tital Bullshit put together by a bunch of Libral politicisns letting thevtail wsg the dog…

Buh-bye Nov 16, 2017 - 12:10 am

No Bueno! Let’s Dump this Taco Vendor masquerading as an attorney general.

Becerra is a DISGRACE and is just another out of control democrats wreaking havoc on the State of California.

-Adios Amigo-your 15 minutes is up!

Dawn Nov 17, 2017 - 12:29 am

Profiling is should be encouraged! Even the US Supreme Court approved it in three different cases.

Nick Nov 17, 2017 - 10:21 am

Profiling is stereotyping, and everyone stereotypes. Anyone who says they’ve never stereotyped is LYING. What you can’t (or shouldn’t do) is discriminate. There’s a difference.

Dmitri Nov 20, 2017 - 7:45 am

Yup this is why I shake in my boots when I see an old white man in a suit. The amount of deception, fraud, and evil they use to get into power and maintain it can’t be underestimated. Much scarier than a brown person in a hoodie.

Clint Nov 20, 2017 - 11:58 pm

Dmitri-

You must shake a lot. Perhaps you are in the wrong country.

Get off my lawn.

Dmitri Nov 25, 2017 - 10:44 am

Yup and then when they up your taxes, take your SS, cut your Medicaid, cut into your retirement, start more unnecessary wars, pollute the environment, profit off meaningless junk, are silent to your complaints… keep blaming your brown neighbors.

Lola Saavedra Nov 26, 2017 - 1:09 am

Dmitri ……. what about a YOUNG WHITE MAN in a suit? Would that ease your anxiety?

Nick Nov 20, 2017 - 4:49 pm

In the words of Mark Fuhrman “I’m tired of blacks and Mexicans that should be in prison.” Whites and Asians glorify EDUCATION.

Dmitri Nov 20, 2017 - 8:09 pm

The irony in your comment is laughable. You follow a racist statement by saying something about education. And it’s a quote by a racist law enforcement agent, way to prove the stereotype correct. You’ll get your pension, identity, wages, and overtime taken but you’ll still see as brown people as the enemy. Typical punk suburban American.

Lola Saavedra Nov 26, 2017 - 1:11 am

Dmitri … Mark Fuhrman tells it like it is. Live with it!

Dmitri Nov 25, 2017 - 10:54 am

President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”

Melanie Nov 21, 2017 - 10:30 am

Dimitri – You bring it on yourself. You make everything a racial issue. Newsflash – white people can’t be offended by race. You’re wasting your time. If you don’t like it here – there’s always Africa.

Dmitri Nov 25, 2017 - 10:42 am

I was simply baiting old Nicky here to finally admit his racist epithets instead of beating around the bush all the time.

Melanie Nov 26, 2017 - 1:10 pm

Everyone has a little bit of racism in them.

Comments are closed.