Police in California must by law reveal reason for traffic stops.

As California enters the New Year, a new law is set to take effect on January 1, 2024, which will have a major impact on police-citizen interactions during traffic stops. Assembly Bill 2773, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2022, requires police officers to inform drivers of the reason for pulling them over before initiating any questioning.

The law, authored by Assembly Member Chris Holden, is intended to prevent minor traffic violations from being used as a pretext to investigate other potential offenses. In a 2022 hearing, Holden explained the importance of equity and accountability in law enforcement, noting that people of color are often asked to surrender their civil rights without knowing why they are being stopped.

Not everyone is convinced that this law will be effective in curbing police bias. Community activist Berry Accius acknowledges the law's impact, but expresses concerns about its implementation. “Tiny steps in the right direction, but what is the direction? Because there are too many gray areas. How am I going to be able to dispute that this officer was pulling me over illegally?” Accius says.

The law also makes an exception, allowing California police to withhold the reason for a stop if it is deemed necessary to protect life or property from an imminent threat. Community activists like Accius point out that while the law addresses a part of the issue, there is still room for bias during traffic stops and more specific laws are needed to tackle this concern.

Sacramento area law enforcement agencies have already integrated the law into their training, with a spokesperson from the Sacramento Police Department noting, “We believe in providing great customer service, and that is why we have implemented this into our academy and department training.” However, the California State Sheriff’s Association argued that the law is too strict, prohibiting officers from asking questions or making requests before disclosing the reason for the stop.

It remains to be seen how this law will shape police-citizen interactions in California, but the expectation is that it will lead to increased transparency and accountability. Hopefully, this will be a step toward reducing police bias and improving the fairness of traffic stops in the state.

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