Who are deputies stopping in Travis County? Sheriff’s Office releases racial profiling report

Each year, law enforcement agencies across Texas are required by state law to collect and analyze data on traffic stops or pedestrian stops with regard to that agency's policy on racial profiling.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Travis County Sheriff’s Office has released its annual Racial Profiling Report for 2019.

Each year, law enforcement agencies across Texas are required by state law to collect and analyze data on traffic stops or pedestrian stops with regard to that agency’s policy on racial profiling.

According to the TSCO report presented to County Commissioners on Tuesday, its Internal Affairs section investigated one racial profiling complaint in 2019. It reported that complaint was “unfounded.” For comparison, the 2018 report cited no complaints of racial profiling.

Who are they stopping?

According to the data, deputies stopped 39,748 people in 2019. That has increased from 34,537 people detained on stops in 2018.

The 2019 report states that in about 2% of cases, the person’s race was known before the stop.

The report then breaks down the total number of stops by the person’s race.

For context, the agency compared its data on stops to population totals based on 2016 Census population totals and the 2011 Texas Fair Road Standards.

KXAN’s Avery Travis is digging into the report and will have more tonight on KXAN News at 5 about how many people were stopped and searched.