Additional Analysis of APD Racial Profiling Data: Reasons for 2018 Motor Vehicle Stops

OF
AUSTIN
Additional Analysis of APD Racial Profiling Data:
FOUNDED
Reasons for 2018 Motor Vehicle Stops
The Office of Police Oversight, the Office of Innovation, and the Equity Office released the Joint
Report: Analysis of APD Racial Profiling Data, which examined APD's motor vehicle stop data from
2015-2018. This addendum provides additional analysis of the reasons for the motor vehicle stops
in 2018. For more information on the sources on data below, see the Racial Profiling Report.
Chart 2: The majority of 11,214
Chart 1: The majority of 122,185
stops that resulted in arrests in
stops conducted in 2018 were due
2018 were due to moving traffic
to moving traffic violations
violations (73.06%). Only 3.22%
(70.71%), while the least amount
of motor vehicle stops that
of stops were due to pre-existing
resulted in arrests are attributed
knowledge (0.37%).
to pre-existing knowledge (i.e.
warrant).
Chart 1 - Reason for Motor Vehicle Stops in 2018
Number of
Proportion of reason for
Chart 2 - Reason for Motor Vehicle Stops that resulted in an Arrest in 2018
Reason for Stop - TCOLE form
stops
stops
Reason for Stop TCOLE form
Number of Stops
2018 Motor Vehicle Stop Arrests
Moving Traffic Violation
86,519
70.81%
Moving Traffic Violation
8,193
73.06%
Pre-existing knowledge (i.e. warrant)
455
0.37%
Violation of law other than traffic
20,945
17.14%
Pre-existing knowledge (i.e. warrant)
361
3.22%
Vehicle Traffic Violation (Equipment, Inspection,
Violation of law other than traffic
2,660
23.72%
or Registration)
14,266
11.68%
Total
11,214
100%
Grand Total
122,185
100%
Chart 3.1-3.3: Black/African
Chart 3.1: Stops Resulting in Arrests Categorized by Race
Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are
Moving Traffic Violations
Race
Asian
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino
White
disproportionality overrepresented
% of stops
5%
27%
43%
29%
% of Total Austin
in all the motor vehicle stop
Population
6%
8%
31%
54%
outcomes, while Whites and Asians
Disparity
(Population vs.
1%
19%
12%
25%
are underrepresented.
Stops)
Underrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Underrepresentation
Chart 3.2: Stops Resulting in Arrests Categorized by Race
Chart 3.3: Stops Resulting in Arrests Categorized by Race
Pre-Existing Knowledge (i.e. warrants)
Violation of Law Other Than Traffic
Race
Asian
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino
White
Race
Asian
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino
White
% of stops
1%
17%
49%
38%
% of stops
1%
37%
42%
20%
% of Total Austin
% of Total Austin
Population
6%
8%
31%
54%
Population
6%
8%
31%
54%
Disparity
Disparity
(Population vs.
5%
9%
18%
16%
(Population vs.
5%
29%
11%
34%
Stops)
Underrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Underrepresentation
Stops)
Underrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Overrepresentation
Underrepresentation
The data demonstrates moving traffic violations make up a majority of the reasons for motor
vehicle stops and stops resulting in arrests. The Office of Police Oversight, the Office of
Innovation, and the Equity Office developed the following recommendations for APD to increase
the transparency of their data:
APD to include the specific 'moving traffic violation' that occurred and details regarding the 'violation of
law other than traffic' category in the Open Data Portal.
APD to include the sector where the stop occurred in their racial profiling citation data similar to how it is
included in the arrest and field observation/warning data in order to analyze geographic trends.