HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-03-19 City Council (13)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE
DATE:MARCH 19, 2001 CMR:173:01
SUBJECT:REPORTING OF PUBLIC CONTACT DEMOGRAPHIC
DATA COLLECTION (RACIAL PROFILING)
This is an informational report and no Council action is requiredl
BACKGROUND
In September 1999, Governor Davis directed the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to begin a
three-year project to analyze Public Contact Demographic Data. Law enforcement agencies
throughout the state were invited,to submit similar local data to the CHP for inclusion in its
annual reports. In February 2000, the Police Department announced that it would voluntarily
begin collecting demographic data on traffic stops and other public contacts between police and
citizens starting July 2000 (CMR: 145:00)..
DISCUSSION
Palo Alto’s Data Collection
Beginning on July 1, 2000, the Police Department began gathering demographic data on public
contacts. The Police Department voluntarily elected to gather additional information beyond
the traffic stop information currently collected by CHP and most other police agencies.
Information is reported for all arrests, citations, field interviews and field searches conducted
by officers.
Unfortunately capturing, recording and tracking this information has been complicated and has
required considerable effort by staff to reconcile the information for accuracy. Additionally,
implementation of this process necessitated numerous software changes to both the
Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management Systems. The Department
has now successfully addressed problems in data collection, accuracy of data entry and
CMR:173:01 Page 1 of 2
programming. However, all these complications over the first two quarters of the year have
delayed the reporting of these statistics until after the third quarter.
The Department’s. first report to Council regarding Demographic Data Collection can be
expected in July. This report will be both comprehensive and accurate. To reflect a more
accurate view of the daytime population in the City, comparisons in demographics will be
against the nine Bay Area counties.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
This is not a project under Califomia Environmental Quality Act and environmental review is
not required.
PREPARED BY:
KATHLEEN MCKENNA
Police Captain
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
Chief of Police
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EMILY HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
CMR:173:01 Page 2 of 2