The dialogue from the body cameras has its own share of insights. Officers more often brought up the subject of parole or probation when stopping black people. However, they were far more likely to mention the reason for a stop to a white person.

Stanford is quick to mention that these gaps in treatment shrink with experience (veterans are less likely to cuff someone without an arrest). It also stresses that there isn't hard evidence of conscious, overt racism. The police may not be intentionally treating black people differently, but there is an "institutional problem" that leads to unfair treatment.

The good news? Stanford conducted this data study in tandem with the OPD, and it's implementing the university's recommendations. That includes improving how the department collects and studies data, making that data more accessible and using body camera footage for audits and training. As you'd hope, the force is also educating officers to both minimize bias and identify troublemakers. These solutions won't apply everywhere and certainly aren't guaranteed to end racism in law enforcement, but the very hint of progress suggests that the data collection was worthwhile.