Cops Weak on Racial Profiling

February 13, 2005 by Maya Harris, Director, ACLU-NC Racial Justice Project, The San Francisco Chronicle

Editor - We agree that enforcement of Oakland's new probation curfew "must be monitored" (editorial, "Can a curfew curtail crime?" Feb. 6).

Real concerns exist that the policy will lead to racial profiling, encouraging officers to stop and question law-abiding residents about their probation status merely because they live in certain neighborhoods.

The problem, though, is that there's no evidence to suggest that meaningful monitoring will occur in Oakland.

In 2001, we applauded the Oakland Police Department for its commitment to collect data on racial profiling. Sadly, that policy has not translated into practice.

A 2003 audit found that the Oakland police failed to collect data for nearly 75 percent of stops.

Last year, a RAND study also found substantial underreporting by officers.

And excerpts from a December 2004 "Riders" settlement agreement report provide a scathing indictment of the status quo: "Despite OPD's clear policy and straightforward stop data form, thousands of stops appear to be going unreported. Through lackadaisical supervision and little to no accountability, OPD has fostered an environment where scores of officers and their supervisors feel comfortable simply disregarding OPD policy. . . . [It] calls into question the department's commitment to deterring racial profiling."

Before being vested with more authority, the Oakland Police Department should demonstrate its accountability.