Lancaster, 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.
The vast majority of law enforcement agencies in the United States do not choose to share their policing data publicly or receive independent analyses of these data. Justice Navigator Assessments examine data from law enforcement agencies that voluntarily partnered with CPE to receive standardized analyses that put policing data to work and serve as a starting point for addressing the kinds of racial disparities that persist in policing across the country. Communities can’t improve their public safety systems without identifying opportunities to do so; CPE commends Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Lancaster Station for partnering with us to take this first step in addressing racial disparities in their policing.
LASD Lancaster 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 data from January 1, 2018 – September 30, 2022, vehicle and pedestrian stop data from 2019 – 2022, and calls for service and officer-initiated activity data from 2018 – 2022. This assessment only includes resident demographic data from areas of Los Angeles County that are patrolled by LASD Lancaster 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 Lancaster Station data:
52% of all uses of force deputies recorded between 2018 and 2022 were against Black people, who made up 18% of the population of Lancaster Station’s patrol area.
What should be investigated further?
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station data:
Racial disparities in recorded uses of force are apparent across every type of force. The 2 most common force types recorded overall were “Holds” and “Takedown.”
How can departments reduce disparities in use of force?
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VEHICLE STOPS
Which drivers did deputies stop and search?
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station data:
39% of all drivers stopped between 2019 and 2022 were Black.
38% of all drivers stopped between 2019 and 2022 were Latinx.
20% of all drivers stopped between 2019 and 2022 were White.
Which drivers did deputies search at stops?
At vehicle stops, deputies searched Black drivers 1.6 times as often as White drivers, even though Black drivers were less likely to possess contraband.
Deputies searched 1185 Black drivers who did not have any contraband, compared to 330 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 Lancaster Station data:
44% of all pedestrians stopped between 2019 and 2022 were Black.
The population of Lancaster Station’s patrol area is 18% Black.
Which pedestrians did deputies search at stops?
At pedestrian stops, deputies recorded searching Black pedestrians at about the same rate as White pedestrians even though Black pedestrians were less likely to possess contraband.
Deputies searched 980 Black pedestrians who did not have any contraband, compared to 457 White pedestrians White pedestrians.
How can departments reduce disparities in pedestrian stops?
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How did deputies spend their time?
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station deputies recorded 635,453 total events in 2018 – 2022, including both Officer-Initiated Activities and Calls for Service.
- 6.1% of these events involved Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats. All other events involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
- 46% of these events were Officer-Initiated Activities that involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
- 48% of these events were Calls for Service that involved no report of Bodily Harm, Property Harm, or Threats.
How were mental health events handled by the Station?
Deputies recorded 21,306 mental health events during the assessment period, 16,563 of which were addressed by the station’s mental health co-response team.
How can public safety resources be better aligned with community needs?
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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 Lancaster Station, CA. Justice Navigator, justicenavigator.org.