Essential California: 'It’s just another version of stop and frisk'

An analysis of more than 44,000 bike stops logged by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department since 2017 found that 7 of every 10 stops involve Latino cyclists. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Los Angeles Times] [Essential California Newsletter] PRESENTED BY First 5 LA* November 8, 2021 [View in browser]( [Click to view images]( in poorer communities with large nonwhite populations are stopped and searched far more often than those in more affluent, whiter parts of the county. (Steven Banks) Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California [newsletter](. It’s Monday, Nov. 8. I’m Justin Ray. Los Angeles Times reporters Alene Tchekmedyian and Ben Poston recently published a stunning exposé about bike stops. An analysis of more than 44,000 bike stops logged by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department since 2017 found that [7 of every 10 stops involved Latino cyclists](. Additionally, bikers in poorer communities with large nonwhite populations are stopped and searched far more often than those in more affluent, whiter parts of the county. What did those stops yield? During searches, deputies find illegal items just 8% of the time, The Times’ analysis showed. Weapons were seized just 164 times — less than half a percent of all searches. “It’s just another version of stop and frisk,” said Tamika Butler, former head of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, referring to the New York City Police Department’s practice of patting down Latinos and Black people. The NYPD tactic, now defunct, was found to have violated people’s civil rights. Sheriff’s officials defended the use of bike stops as a necessary and legitimate tool to fight crime, arguing that criminals use bikes to evade detection. The low rates of success uncovering drugs or other contraband while searching bicyclists “do not raise serious questions,” a department spokeswoman told The Times. [The Times’ investigation]( other issues such as the eyebrow-raising conversations bicyclists have had with law enforcement during stops. We also have graphs and illustrations showing the areas where stops took place. Here are two other accompanying stories: - [Bicyclists share stories of being stopped by L.A. County deputies.]( incidents rarely garner headlines, but they occur thousands of times a year. Although the vast majority do not lead to bloodshed, riders and biking advocates say the practice contributes to the erosion of trust people have in law enforcement while doing little for public safety. Here are a few cyclists’ stories of being stopped, including one who said deputies once mistook him for someone they were after: “some Latino male riding a bike.” - [Sheriff’s Department bike stops: How we reported the story.]( to know how a reporter uncovers such an important story? We explain how data from a public records request gave us a solid picture of the matter. We also explain some of the methodology behind the numbers we present in the investigation. And now, here’s what’s happening across California: Note: Some of the sites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without subscribing. State numbers show that California has 1.4 million unemployed residents, but a new study highlights people who can’t find jobs that pay above poverty level. When that population is included, the number is three times higher — 4.8 million. The analysis by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity, an organization focused on studying the economic well-being of middle- and lower-income Americans, found 25.7% of California workers are functionally unemployed, meaning they are seeking, but cannot find full-time employment paying above the poverty level. [CalMatters]( ADVERTISEMENT BY First 5 LA [First 5 LA]( First 5 LA is dedicated to improving the systems that serve L.A. County’s youngest children & their families. Never miss the stories about our work in partnership to strengthen communities. End of advertisement L.A. STORIES In a U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles, British-born actor Esmé Bianco is waging a legal battle to prove that Marilyn Manson really is the menacing person he has portrayed in music videos and public appearances for decades. 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The explosion’s aftermath underscored a painful truth about life in sprawling, expensive Los Angeles: Formerly working-class neighborhoods are rapidly gentrifying as the population grows but the available housing stock does not. [Los Angeles Times]( [Juana Oceguera, 41, packs items in her apartment.] Juana Oceguera, 41, packs items in her apartment. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Our daily news podcast If you’re a fan of this newsletter, you’ll probably love our new daily podcast, “The Times,” hosted by columnist Gustavo Arellano, along with reporters from across our newsroom. Every weekday, it takes you beyond the headlines. Subscribe [on Apple Podcasts]( and follow [on Spotify](. POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Private jets hired by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to transport immigrant detainees have been involved in dangerous incidents. 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Should he later be found competent, the criminal case could resume. But the likelihood of him recovering enough to ever stand trial is unclear. Gonzalez was charged with special-circumstances murder in the killings of Jenevieve Raygoza, 28; Luis Tovar, 50; Leticia Solis Guzman, 58; and Matthew Farias, 9 after the March 31 shootings. [OC Register]( Support our journalism [Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.]( ADVERTISEMENT HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT In the age of megafires, Long Beach firefighters battle blazes across the West. As the drought-stricken state continues to burn, more and more firefighters are being asked to trade their normal routine of house fires and car wrecks for raging infernos tearing through rural communities. Wildfires have exploded in size over the past decade, leading state and federal agencies to lean more on local fire departments for help. This in turn puts more stress on those departments. 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He lived in Banning in Riverside County and worked at La Jolla Zip Zoom Zipline on the reservation off state Route 76, authorities said. Romero was helping a woman get hooked onto the platform when she started sliding out on the zip line. He was unable to stop her and grabbed onto her harness, causing them to slide out farther. Romero fell and suffered blunt-force injuries, according to the medical examiner’s office and Cal Fire Capt. Frank LoCoco. [San Diego Union-Tribune]( Free online games Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games in our new game center at [latimes.com/games](. CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles: 70 San Diego: 68 San Francisco: [Listen to this dog talk about how I feel about Mondays (turn your sound down)](. 61 San Jose: Cloudy 66 Fresno: 65 Sacramento: 62 AND FINALLY Hollywood birthdays Rapper Eve was born Nov. 10, 1978. The Times recently talked to her about “Queens,” [a new ABC series.]( Brittany Murphy was born Nov. 10, 1977. 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