The map presents data collected by LAPD on arrests between 2019 and 2022. Outlined is Westwood. Sources: UCPD. Graphic reporting by Sharla Steinman, Daily Bruin contributor. Interactive by Junwon Choi, Data editor.

This post was updated Oct. 1 at 6:32 p.m.

Editor’s note: This article’s headline was updated to avoid the implication that the Hispanic/Latino community in Los Angeles represents a minority of the population.

City Controller Kenneth Mejia released a map of LAPD arrests between 2019 and 2022 that shows disproportionate arrest rates for Hispanic/Latino and Black communities.

The map marks nearly 300,000 arrests in Los Angeles using data obtained from the LAPD. It allows users to filter by race, council district, LAPD division and arrest type, and also allows users to see the location and details for each arrest.

The data released by Mejia marks the first time this information has been accessible and mapped for the public, according to the press release.

Dinah Manning, the director of public safety in the city controller’s office, said being transparent and sharing data in an accessible and accurate way is one of the office’s goals.

“Creating transparency, providing accessible, accurate and relevant data and boosting accountability efforts are at the core of the work that the controller’s office does,” Manning said.

She added that while the arrest data has been publicly available through the city’s open data portal, it was not user-friendly and had not been analyzed to identify trends.

Manning said transparency is also important in showing Angelenos where city funds are going.

“We know LAPD tends to be one of the most common faces to the city government, and it draws on more city funds than other departments,” Manning said. “This information in our map gives people a clear window into how some of those resources are being spent.”

According to the press release and map, Hispanic/Latino and Black people are arrested at disproportionate rates. These groups make up an average of 78.26% of all arrests in the timeframe, despite being only 56% of the LA population, according to 2020 Census data.

Eric Coestad, organizational stakeholder for the North Westwood Neighborhood Council, said he believes that while those who have committed certain crimes should be arrested, the disproportionate rates of arrests in regards to race could potentially be attributed to decades of disinvestment in specific communities.

“I think it really starts with funding educational and social programs in our neighborhoods that have historically been underfunded,” Coestad said.

Peter Johnson, a lecturer in law at the UCLA School of Law, said he believes bias is an issue present in law enforcement that must be fixed with better training.

“Even well-intended officers don’t see themselves in the position of this young person that may come from a different community,” Johnson said. “They are not thinking about the overall impact of an arrest, and I think that training within the police department is very important.”

Manning added that the map shows more than 400 arrests each year in LA that fall into a dependent category, which includes children who are taken into custody because their guardian has been accused of neglect, abuse or because the child has run away.

“The data available, again, on the city portal is unclear about these incidents, but it does raise questions about the frequency that children and youth are coming into contact with law enforcement,” Manning said.

The data also shows that there were more misdemeanor arrests across LA between 2019 and 2022 than felony arrests. There were 134,434 misdemeanor arrests and 127,653 felony arrests in the timeframe.

Manning said some examples of misdemeanor arrests include shoplifting, petty theft and littering of waste. Examples of felonies include robbery, burglary, vandalism and violent crimes, Manning added.

Johnson said misdemeanor arrests can impact a person’s life in many ways, including job loss and immigration status. He added that misdemeanors could be dealt with in ways other than police intervention, such as mental health assistance and drug abuse treatment.

“We are over-criminalizing, not just in Los Angeles but across the country – conduct that could be dealt with in other ways outside of the criminal justice system that scars people for life,” Johnson said.