More than 100 listed arresting agencies bring detainees to the Washoe County Detention Facility, to include the Reno and Sparks police departments, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and Nevada Highway Patrol.
Central question: does the racial makeup of the individuals held in the Washoe County Detention Facility reflect the racial makeup of the larger community?
In addition to racial statistics, there is much to be gleaned from booking data.
Yesterday, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office fulfilled a request for the past year’s worth of data from the Detention Facility. The Ally is currently analyzing the data and will publish results as soon as they are ready.
Moving forward, the Ally, in consort with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, will work to publish new results every quarter. We plan to expand the scope and nature of this data project over time.
We will continue to publish an archive of the 24-Hour Media Booking Recaps.
Every morning, a 24-Hour Media Booking Recap is released to the media. A Booking Recap contains all relevant information about each arrest from the name of the person in custody to arresting agency, court, literal charges, race and more.
The Recaps are an important record of regional police activity.
With the cooperation of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Ally analyzed Washoe County Detention Facility booking data from June 4 to July 9, 2020.
Of the many arresting agencies that bring people to the Washoe County jail, in this initial arrest data analysis, we focused on the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Reno and Sparks police departments, and Nevada Highway Patrol.
Race Data
White, Black, Indian, Asian, Polynesian, and Unknown are the race categories in the Washoe County Detention Facility. On 24-Hour Media Booking Recaps do not have a separate category for Hispanic or Latino. The graphs below were based on the Booking Recaps, so Latino detainees are added to the White category.
The historic data we are currently analyzing does have a designation for Latino, so Latinos will be represented as a discrete category in future data releases.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE
ICE was created in 2003 through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the former U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. According to the agency’s website, ICE now has more than 20,000 law enforcement and support personnel in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. ICE has a presence at the Washoe County Detention Facility and vets detainees for their immigration status.
Since June 3, 2020, there have been 4 individuals detained on an “ICE Hold.”
Four Arresting Agencies Taken Together
In Washoe County, according to the latest Census data, 2.8 percent of residents are Black, and 14.2 percent of the people booked into the Washoe County jail since June 3, 2020 have identified as Black. Native Americans makeup 2.2 percent of the Washoe County population and 2.1 percent of bookings. Those who identify as Asian makeup 5.8 percent of the Washoe County population and 1.9 percent of bookings.
According to Census data, 84.6 percent of Washoe County residents are White, and Whites makeup 80.1 percent of bookings, but please note, Latinos and Whites are both in the White category. According to Census data, those who identify as Latino makeup 25 percent of the Washoe County population.
Reno Police Department
In Reno, according to the latest Census data, 2.7 percent of residents are Black, and 18.2 percent of the people Reno PD booked into the Washoe County Jail since June 3, 2020 have identified as Black.
Native Americans makeup 1.1 percent of the Reno population and 2.0 percent of bookings. Those who identify as Asian makeup 6.5 percent of the Reno population and 1.7 percent of bookings. According to Census data, 76.4 percent of Reno residents are White, and Whites makeup 77.2 percent of bookings, but again, Latinos and Whites are both in the White category of Washoe County jail record keeping.
Sparks Police Department
In Sparks, according to the latest Census data, 2.5 percent of residents are Black; and 11.6 percent of the people arrested by Sparks PD and booked into the Washoe County Jail since June 3, 2020 have identified as Black. Native Americans makeup 1.5 percent of the Sparks population and 1.0 percent of bookings. Those who identify as Asian makeup 5.7 percent of the Sparks population and 2.3 percent of bookings. According to Census data, 76.4 percent of Sparks residents are White, and Whites makeup 84.3 percent of bookings, but Latinos and Whites are both in the White category of jail record keeping.
Washoe County Sheriff
In Washoe County, according to the latest Census data, 2.8 percent of residents are Black, and according to Washoe County Sheriff’s Office data, 6.4 percent of the people arrested by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Washoe County Jail since June 3, 2020 have identified as Black. Native Americans makeup 2.2 percent of the Washoe County population and 0 percent of recent bookings. Those who identify as Asian makeup 5.8 percent of the Washoe County population and less than 1.o percent of bookings to date. Whites makeup 92.1 percent of arrests, though Whites and Latinos are together in the White category.
Nevada Highway Patrol
The Nevada Highway Patrol is largely focused on enforcing laws regarding motorized vehicles. Of the individuals troopers booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility, 6.5 percent identified as Black. Native American arrests made up 4.3 percent of bookings since June 3 of this year. NHP had a relatively high rate of detainees of Unknown racial origin at 9.7 percent.
