Chris Arvayo
Head of Government Compliance Initiatives
The Virginia Community Policing Act, enacted in 2020, is a significant initiative aimed at fostering trust and transparency between law enforcement agencies and the community. The Act mandates that agencies statewide collect and report traffic and investigative stop data, including demographics, reasons for stops, and their outcomes. By offering insights into policing practices and addressing disparities in demographic information, this initiative has the potential to enhance the relationship between law enforcement and the community [1].
Effectively interpreting and using stop data is essential for achieving the transparency and goals outlined in the Act. Drawing on years of practical experience in law enforcement and extensive engagement with research and policy developments in this area, I thoroughly examine the trends, challenges, and opportunities revealed by four years of reported data. This perspective aims to offer analysis grounded in operational realities and evidence-based practices [2].
Four years of data reported under the Act allow for analyzing trends and identifying challenges that impact law enforcement operations and public trust. Stop and contact data provides valuable insights. However, interpreting it requires a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing policing practices. These factors include resource limitations, technology gaps, regional variations in enforcement priorities, community demographics, and crime patterns [3].
Urban areas often face higher call volumes, greater population diversity, and concentrated policing activities. In contrast, rural regions may struggle with challenges due to limited personnel covering vast geographic areas. Suburban areas typically experience a mix of urban and rural dynamics, leading to policing strategies tailored to local needs.
Understanding these regional differences is essential for adequately interpreting data and drawing meaningful conclusions that reflect the unique circumstances of each community. Research on rural crime and justice highlights these distinctions by emphasizing how geographic isolation, cultural influences, and resource limitations shape law enforcement practices across different settings [5].
Background: Virginia’s Community Policing Act
The Virginia Community Policing Act, signed into law in 2020, aims to enhance transparency and accountability within law enforcement. Acknowledging the need for reliable data to address concerns about bias and fairness in policing, the Act requires law enforcement agencies across Virginia to report detailed information on all traffic and investigatory stops. These reports must include key data points such as the driver’s demographics, the reason for the stop, whether an officer conducted a search, and the outcome of the stop [1].
Additionally, the Act mandates the annual analysis and publication of this data to identify potential disparities in policing practices and to assess public complaints regarding excessive force. Under the legal framework established by the Act, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is responsible for compiling and analyzing the data. At the same time, individual law enforcement agencies are tasked with ensuring compliance in their reporting [2].
To promote transparency, the Act requires the police chief of each locality to post traffic stop data on a publicly accessible website. If no dedicated site is available, the chief must ensure that the data is accessible on another platform or provide clear instructions on how the public can obtain the data. This requirement underscores the Act’s commitment to making law enforcement practices more open and accessible to the community [3]. However, the implementation of the Act has faced significant challenges. Many smaller agencies, which comprise a large portion of Virginia’s law enforcement, struggle with limited staffing, resources, and technological infrastructure, hindering their ability to meet the requirements of the Act. For instance, 74% of local law enforcement agencies in Virginia have 50 or fewer sworn officers, with 36% employing 10 or fewer [4]. These resource limitations often result in incomplete or inconsistent data reporting.
The challenges faced by Virginia’s agencies reflect a broader issue in law enforcement across the nation. A guidebook released by the Center for Policing Equity and the Policing Project at NYU School of Law highlights that inadequate technical infrastructure is a key barrier to effective data collection and analysis for many agencies. It emphasizes that robust data systems are essential for collecting accurate and actionable stop data, which is critical for fostering transparency and equitable policing practices. Many agencies lack the resources to implement standardized systems, leading to disparities in the quality and consistency of reported data [6].
While the Act represents a significant step forward, understanding its impact necessitates carefully analyzing the data it generates. This includes identifying trends, interpreting disparities, and addressing the contextual factors influencing enforcement practices. As this blog will demonstrate, a deeper exploration of the data reveals both the potential and the complexity of using stop-and-contact data to promote fair and effective policing.
Trends in Virginia Stop Data
Over the past four years, traffic stop data collected under the Virginia Community Policing Act has revealed important trends that provide insight into law enforcement practices and their impact on communities. These trends highlight both areas of progress and ongoing challenges that require further context to address appropriately.
Volume of Traffic Stops
The total number of reported traffic stops in Virginia has varied yearly due to legislative changes, agency compliance levels, and public behavior. In 2023, over 949,000 traffic stops were reported statewide, representing a significant increase from previous years. This rise reflects improvements in reporting processes and expanded data collection efforts by law enforcement agencies [4].
Demographic Disparities
An analysis of the data consistently shows disparities in the racial and ethnic composition of individuals subjected to traffic stops. For example:
- Black Drivers: In 2023, Black drivers accounted for a disproportionately higher percentage of traffic stops compared to their representation in the driving-age population [3].
- Hispanic Drivers: Certain jurisdictions also reported overrepresentation of Hispanic drivers in traffic stop data [4].
These findings raise important questions about the contextual factors influencing these disparities, including enforcement priorities, regional crime rates, and variations in driving patterns.
Geographic Variations
Traffic stop data reveals significant variations between urban, suburban, and rural areas. Urban jurisdictions typically report higher volumes of traffic stops due to greater population density and enforcement activity. In contrast, rural areas often show lower reporting levels, which may reflect resource limitations and smaller populations [2].
Outcomes of Traffic Stops
The outcomes of stops — including warnings, citations, and arrests — also vary by demographic group. For instance, Black and Hispanic drivers are more likely to face searches and arrests following traffic stops compared to White drivers. According to the report, this trend warrants further investigation into potential disparities in enforcement practices [3].
Challenges in Data Collection and Reporting
The data collection and reporting requirements of the Virginia Community Policing Act have exposed significant challenges for law enforcement agencies throughout the state. These issues are not exclusive to Virginia; they reflect broader systemic problems in law enforcement data management nationwide. Over the last four years, several key challenges have been identified:
Inconsistent Reporting
A persistent issue has been the inconsistency in data submissions. Many smaller agencies struggle to meet the Act’s requirements due to limited staffing, training, and technical infrastructure. Sometimes, data submissions have been incomplete or excluded from analysis due to missing key fields or formatting errors [4].
Resource Limitations
Most of Virginia’s law enforcement agencies are small, with 74% employing 50 or fewer sworn officers and 36% employing 10 or fewer. These smaller agencies often lack the necessary resources to implement effective data collection systems, train personnel, and ensure compliance with reporting requirements [4].
Technological Gaps
The absence of standardized, statewide electronic data collection systems has forced many agencies to rely on manual processes, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies. This technological gap exacerbates the challenges of maintaining high-quality data and complicates practical efforts to analyze trends or disparities [3].
Balancing Transparency and Administrative Burdens
The requirement to publicly post traffic stop data creates additional administrative burdens for agencies, especially smaller ones. Ensuring that the data is presented in a way that is accessible and meaningful to the public demands resources that many agencies may not possess [3].
Actionable Recommendations
Addressing the challenges in collecting and reporting traffic stop data under the Virginia Community Policing Act requires a comprehensive approach. The following actionable recommendations aim to improve data accuracy, streamline reporting processes, and enhance public trust.
Implement an Agile and Standardized Data System
To tackle the complexities of data collection and ensure adaptability to legislative changes, agencies should invest in a scalable and flexible data system that supports evolving needs.
Validation and Accuracy:
The system should feature tools that minimize errors during data entry, allow reports to be amended with a clear audit trail, and ensure data integrity through systematic error correction and regular audits [6].
Real-Time Access for Supervisors:
Front-line supervisors should have real-time access to stop data for actionable insights. This enables supervisors to:
- Monitor officer activity to ensure alignment with agency objectives.
- Provide timely feedback to officers regarding performance and adherence to procedures.
- Discuss data trends with community stakeholders to address crime reduction and neighborhood safety concerns.
- Insightful Analytics: Supervisors can leverage stop data to:
- Respond proactively to community concerns about specific crime patterns or neighborhood safety.
- Identify patterns of stops based on officer assignment and geographic area.
- Enhance community engagement efforts based on data insights.
- Allocate resources effectively to align with agency priorities and community needs.
Customization and Privacy Protection:
Agencies should be able to customize data collection, such as tagging stops in specific hotspots or enforcement areas, while ensuring the anonymization of sensitive information to protect individual privacy [7].
Integrate Training and Policy Updates on Data Use:
Agencies should integrate training programs with updated policies to ensure adequate stop data use while maintaining transparency and community trust.
Policy Updates:
- Develop clear policies outlining how stop data will be used internally for operational decision-making and externally for public transparency.
- Include guidelines that support community engagement initiatives using insights from the data [3].
Training Programs:
- Train stakeholders, such as supervisors and analysts, to interpret and communicate data insights without overwhelming front-line officers.
- Incorporate real-world scenarios to demonstrate how stop data can be effectively utilized in public engagements and internal decision-making
Capture and Leverage Geographic Location Data
Incorporating detailed geographic data enhances the understanding of policing patterns and supports strategic decision-making.
Strategic Insights:
- Analyze stop data by patrol area, district, or hotspot to evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement strategies [8].
- Use geographic trends to allocate resources efficiently and monitor the impact of policing initiatives on crime reduction.
Public Engagement:
- Share geographic data with community stakeholders to enhance transparency and provide context for enforcement priorities.
Create Agency-Specific Public Dashboards
Dashboards tailored to an agency’s needs provide valuable transparency and community collaboration tools.
Customizable Features:
- Include visualizations of geographic trends, demographic breakdowns, and outcomes of stops.
- Provide explanatory notes to help the public interpret data in context and avoid misconceptions [9].
Agency Ownership:
- Design dashboards to reflect local priorities, enabling agencies to demonstrate their unique efforts and achievements.
Encourage Ongoing Evaluation and Adjustments
Adopting an iterative approach to data collection ensures continuous improvement and adaptability.
Feedback Mechanisms:
Solicit input from community members and law enforcement personnel to refine data collection and reporting practices.
Data Reviews:
Regularly evaluate the data quality to identify improvement in data collection and align with public expectations.
Conclusion
The Virginia Community Policing Act marks a significant advancement in enhancing transparency and accountability within law enforcement. Over four years of implementation, the data collected under this Act has revealed important trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Although the process of gathering and reporting traffic stop data is complex, it offers a valuable basis for addressing public concerns regarding crime, fairness, and bias in policing.
Key findings from the data emphasize the need for ongoing attention to disparities, particularly in the impact of traffic stops on different racial and ethnic groups. Challenges such as inconsistent reporting, limited resources, and technological gaps highlight the necessity of investing in solutions that improve the quality and usability of the data. Agencies can tackle these challenges by adopting agile data systems, capturing geographic insights, and promoting transparency through tailored dashboards while fostering more substantial connections with their communities [3].
This blog provides an analytical overview of the data and challenges and actionable recommendations for enhancing data collection and reporting processes. When combined with thoughtful policy updates and continuous training, these steps can help agencies align with the Act’s fairness, transparency, and accountability objectives [6].
This journey requires collaboration among law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and community members. By leveraging the insights presented here, agencies can better understand their practices, reduce crime, address disparities, and continue building community trust. Every step forward signifies meaningful progress toward building stronger, safer communities where safety, transparency, and fairness are foundational to public safety.
Author: Chris Arvayo — Head of Government Compliance Initiatives @SmartForce®
Chris retired as a sergeant after 21 years of service with a major city police department. Over the past four years, he has specialized in law enforcement stop data collection, reporting, analysis, and ensuring compliance with legislative mandates. If you’d like to discuss insights or strategies related to this topic further, feel free to reach out to me at chris.arvayo@smartforcetech.com.
Cited Works:
- Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2021 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2021/RD420/PDF
- Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2022 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2022/RD533/PDF
- Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2023 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2023/RD340/PDF
- Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2024 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2024/RD440/PDF
- Weisheit, R. A., & Wells, L. E. Rural Crime and Justice: Implications for Theory and Research. https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/rural-crime-and-justice-implications-theory-and-research
- Policing Equity. Guidebook on Stop Data Implementation. https://policingequity.org/images/pdfs-doc/COPS-Guidebook_Final_Release_Version_2-compressed.pdf
- Project on Government Oversight. Best Practices for Law Enforcement Data Collection and Transparency. https://www.pogo.org/policy-letters/best-practices-for-law-enforcement-data-collection-and-transparency
- COPS Office. Geographic Analysis Guide. https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0558-pub.pdf
- Policing Project. It’s Time to Start Collecting Stop Data. https://www.policingproject.org/news-main/2019/9/27/its-time-to-start-collecting-stop-data-a-case-for-comprehensive-statewide-legislation
The SmartForce® Team
