Asian and Pacific Islanders accounted for 28% of traffic stops in a county where they comprise 2.4% of the adult population [2].
The disparity ratio: 11.6 to 1.
Data obtained by the ACLU of Northern California and the Asian Law Caucus documented the stop pattern across the sheriff's jurisdiction in northern California [2]. One plaintiff was subjected to a 30-minute traffic stop where she was pulled from her car and aggressively questioned about her presence in the county [2]. The stop produced no citation. No arrest. No contraband.
The settlement that followed required the sheriff's office to adopt a traffic stop policy banning race-based stops and prohibiting deputies from using stops to harass residents or pressure them into consenting to searches [2]. Deputies must now activate body cameras if requesting searches, state the reason for stops, and provide interpreters for non-English speakers [2]. The agreement prohibits stopping drivers solely for being present in high-crime areas or for driving vehicles with out-of-state license plates [2].
Independent Oversight
Siskiyou County agreed to pay an auditor to monitor compliance and hold annual community meetings [2]. The settlement creates a business relationship where the monitored party pays the monitor. The county selects the auditor. The auditor reviews the department's adherence to the new policies.
28% of Stops
The stop data predates the settlement. The 28% figure represents the share of traffic stops conducted by the sheriff's office during the period when the profiling lawsuit was filed [2]. The 2.4% figure represents the share of adults in Siskiyou County who identify as Asian or Pacific Islander [2].
The gap between the two percentages is 25.6 points. The ratio is what matters. A group comprising 2.4% of the adult population accounted for more than one in four traffic stops.
The settlement bans the practice. The independent auditor will review compliance.
