By Harlow Hamilton
It started with a traffic stop. In 2004, UC Davis student Richmond Darko was stopped and searched by police on his way to the computer lab. No reason, no citation. That same year, Ebrima Ceesay was pulled over and questioned about his tattoos.
Over the years, similar incidents have continued: a questionable stop in 2006, a Black woman pulled over at night in 2007, and an Asian American doctor questioned while FaceTiming in 2025. The details vary, but the pattern remains: ordinary behavior met with suspicion, often shaped by race.
Racial profiling is defined as the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense.
According to 2023 data from California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA), Black individuals were stopped by Davis Police officers at rates more than twice that of white individuals. Latino drivers also faced disproportionately high stop rates. The UC Davis Police Department reported similar disparities. While there have been small year-over-year improvements, the data suggest that racial disparities in traffic stops remain a persistent issue in Davis.
Davis, California, is known as a progressive college town, not the first place people associate with policing controversies. Davis High history teacher Kevin Williams agrees with this, thinking that Davis should be “immune” to racial profiling.
Williams explains that with the majority of the population being white and liberal, Davis prides itself on community value and inclusion.
But for many residents of color, the experience has often felt different. “My white students’ jaws drop when they hear stories…They still can’t believe that it happens here,” Williams said.
Over the past decade, Davis has taken measures to address racial imbalance in policing. The city introduced a Community-Police Alternative Conflict Resolution Pilot Program focused on resolving complaints through mediation.
UC Davis established a Police Accountability Board to ensure students and faculty have a say in misconduct cases. Additionally, California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) now mandates that agencies collect data on stops, searches, and use of force, including information from the UC Davis Police Department.
However, data alone cannot eliminate lived experiences. For many individuals, profiling remains an unspoken norm, only slightly reduced by policy.
The RIPA data helps to quantify what many residents of color have long described: that race can still play an outstanding role in police encounters, even in a city that promotes inclusion. Although reforms have been implemented, the lived experiences of being disproportionately stopped, questioned, or surveilled continue to affect community trust.
The City of Davis continues to pursue meaningful ways to combat racial profiling and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the community. Several key recommendations have been proposed, including: requiring written or recorded consent for searches with clear advisements, placing firm limits on pretextual and equipment-related stops, and mandating automatic independent reviews following critical incidents. Additional measures include safeguards for youth, such as tracking the outcomes of stops involving minors, and implementing community co-designed training and evaluation programs to ensure accountability and cultural competence.
Likewise, on Oct. 13, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the newest set of amendments to California’s Racial Justice Act (CRJA) to enhance the law that bans criminal convictions and sentences influenced by race, ethnicity, or national origin. Under this legislation, individuals sentenced to death can seek meaningful relief if the state is found to have violated these protections.
History teacher Kevin Williams believes that the key to ending racial profiling in Davis begins with the younger generation. “Things don’t change without the youth,” he said, emphasizing the importance of education and early awareness.
UC Davis sociology professor Robert Faris agrees that deeper systemic change is needed, noting that progress will require stronger leadership, a sustained cultural commitment, and proactive efforts to counteract racial bias.
Davis is not alone in confronting these issues. In recent years, several California cities have introduced reforms to reduce racial imbalance in policing. Berkeley, for example, prohibited traffic stops for minor infractions like expired tags or broken lights, actions often used as pretexts for stops that disproportionately affect people of color.
These broader statewide efforts provide context for Davis’s own push toward more equitable law enforcement.
For Davis, the challenge isn’t just gathering data or implementing reforms; it’s addressing the gap between perception and reality. As Williams said, change starts with awareness. And in a city that values inclusion, awareness must lead to accountability.
Harlow Hamilton is a student at Davis High, a writer for the Davis Hub, and part of the Vanguard’s Community Journalism Project.
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Even a high school student should know that racial disparities in encounters with law enforcement is not necessarily an indicator of systemic racism. Until the actual causes of encounters with police is acknowledged, my eyes glaze over whenever I read this type of thing.
But the author is correct that Davis is primarily a white/Asian community. Probably less so than it once was, especially at UCD itself. (Though as I recall, the largest group are Asian – especially when foreign students are included.) I understand that the percentage of Hispanic students has increased.
My theory is that Davis is actually a community that’s an example of “white/Asian flight”. But rather than “blame” whites/Asians for “fleeing”, what do you suppose is the underlying cause of that? (I have a pretty strong theory regarding that as well, and it’s not based on hatred of any other race.) Truth be told, no normal person wants to live in a dysfunctional community – other than perhaps those creating the dysfunction. Especially places where they themselves “stand out”, and are subject to attacks that (for some reason) – no one wants to talk about. Those type of attacks are not coming from the police, however.
From article: “Likewise, on Oct. 13, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the newest set of amendments to California’s Racial Justice Act (CRJA) to enhance the law that bans criminal convictions and sentences influenced by race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
Don’t know how this would even be measured, but it sounds like a very troubling law.
One thing I’ve completely stopped doing is providing voluntary information regarding my self-perceived race, age, and sex. (At least make them work for it.)
As they say, “any information you provide can and will be used against you”. (Just not in the manner suggested by this author.)
One other thing I’ve noticed is that while Woodland has a significant percentage of Hispanic people, it (like Davis) seems to have a low percentage of black people.
“Over the years, similar incidents have continued: a questionable stop in 2006, a Black woman pulled over at night in 2007, and an Asian American doctor questioned while FaceTiming in 2025.”
Wow, going back all the way to 2006. The writer needs to talk to David Greenwald, he could fill her in on one of his all-time favorite incidents, “mowing while Black”. I also have a story that happened to me in a park in Davis around 2010 when I was stopped and questioned by two cops, I call it “walking dog while white”.
“The 2020 United States census reported that Davis had a population of 66,850. The population density was 6,703.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,588.4/km2). The racial makeup was 54.7% White, 2.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, 22.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 7.3% from other races, and 12.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.0% of the population.”
From the wikipedia article on Davis, CA
Don’t forget the Jews: 2.4%
US Census does race and ethnicity separately.
True, but I don’t believe they do so in regard to International students (e.g., from the country that the U.S. may end up going to war with at some point).
If they were actually counted in regard to skin color/race, the demographics would change. (Pretty sure that most of them are not categorized as “white”.)
Ultimately, there’s always a problem with counting skin colors/race. Therefore, it’s best kept out of the hands of government and activists. (Again, goes back to “it can and will be used against you”.)
TE say, “US Census does race and ethnicity separately.”
Not following your point.
People reading this should reflect upon recent criticism of how “Hate Free…” intiatives in Davis have focused on individuals rather than institutions.
If I was the editor for the story, upon seeing the first draft, I would insist that the writer interview supposed city leaders with hard questions… Or to just be allowed to interview some police officers randomly and without advanced warning.
Unfortunately you can’t interview police officers.