Lakewood CA, 2025
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
This assessment analyzes policing data, along with demographic and crime data, to identify which policing practices show patterns of racial disparities, and what factors may be contributing to those disparities.
LASD Lakewood Station joined CPE’s National Justice Database project in July 2023. LASD shared data with CPE in order to receive analyses intended to support community and law enforcement collaboration on data-informed efforts to advance equitable outcomes in policing and public safety.
This assessment analyzes use of force, vehicle stop, pedestrian stop, and calls for service and officer-initiated activity data from 2019-2023. This assessment only includes resident demographic data from areas of Los Angeles County that are patrolled by Lakewood Station deputies.
Some key findings from the assessment are displayed below. These findings are described and explained in detail in the tabbed sections found at the top of this page.
USE OF FORCE
How did deputies use force?
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station data:
25% of all uses of force deputies recorded between 2019 and 2023 were against Black people, who made up 9% of the population of Lakewood Station’s patrol area.
This racial disparity was not fully explained by neighborhood variations in crime rates, poverty, or share of Black residents. After accounting for these factors, Lakewood Station deputies used force against Black people 3.8 times as often as White people.
What should be investigated further?
The 2 most common force types recorded overall were “Holds” and “Takedown.”
How can departments reduce disparities in use of force?
Explore Related Insights
VEHICLE STOPS
Which drivers did deputies stop and search?
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station data:
16% of all drivers stopped between 2019 and 2023 were Black.
63% of all drivers stopped between 2019 and 2023 were Latinx.
12% of all drivers stopped between2019 and 2023 were White.
Which drivers did deputies search at stops?
At vehicle stops, deputies searched Latinx drivers at about the same rate as White drivers, even though Latinx drivers were less likely to possess contraband.
Deputies searched 1,155 Latinx drivers who did not have any contraband, compared to 233 White drivers.
How can departments reduce disparities in vehicle stops?
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PEDESTRIAN STOPS
Which pedestrians did deputies stop and search?
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station data:
17% of all pedestrians stopped between 2019 and 2023 were Black.
The population of Lakewood Station’s patrol area is 9% Black.
This racial disparity was not fully explained by neighborhood variations in crime rates, poverty, or share of Black residents. After accounting for these factors, Lakewood Station deputies stopped Black pedestrians 2.6 times as often as White pedestrians.
Which pedestrians did deputies search at stops?
At pedestrian stops, deputies searched Black pedestrians at about the same rate as White pedestrians, even though Black pedestrians were less likely to possess contraband.
Deputies searched 388 Black pedestrians who did not have any contraband, compared to 500 White pedestrians.
How can departments reduce disparities in pedestrians stops?
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How did deputies spend their time?
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station deputies recorded 594,158 total events in 2019 – 2023, including both Officer-Initiated Activities and police responses to Calls for Service.
- 6% of these events involved Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats. All other events involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
- 41% of these events were Officer-Initiated Activities that involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
- 53% of these events were Calls for Service that involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
What should be investigated further?
Deputies recorded 2,985 mental health events. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has a mental health co-response team, but CPE was unable to determine which events in the dataset were addressed by this team.
How can public safety resources be better aligned with community needs?
Explore Related Insights
NEXT STEPS TO REDUCE DISPARITIES
Our resources can help communities and law enforcement agencies assess solutions and take action to reduce racial disparities in policing and design more equitable public safety systems.
OUR METHODOLOGY
Visit the Justice Navigator homepage to learn more about the methodologies we use.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Suggested citation: Center for Policing Equity (2025). Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lakewood Station, CA. Justice Navigator, justicenavigator.org.