Analysis Suggests Unequal Targeting of African Australians by Victoria Police
A recent analysis indicates that Victoria police may be applying a lower threshold of suspicion to African Australians, raising concerns about racial profiling in warrantless search practices. The investigation, based on data obtained through freedom of information laws, reveals disparities in search outcomes that suggest potential bias in policing methods.
Hit Rates Highlight Disparities in Search Success
The analysis examined warrantless pedestrian drug and weapons searches conducted by uniformed general duties police in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Officers are required to form a reasonable suspicion before initiating such searches. The study focused on the "hit rate"—the percentage of searches where drugs were found—comparing results for people of African appearance versus those of white appearance.
Hit rate analysis is a standard method for identifying racial profiling. If police are stopping individuals based on reasonable suspicion, success rates should be similar across racial groups. However, the data shows that across Melbourne, police were significantly less likely to find drugs when searching people of African appearance, with the odds of a hit about 27% lower. This gap suggests that a lower threshold of suspicion is being applied to African Australians, potentially indicating racial profiling.
The pattern was most pronounced in Melbourne's north-west corridor, including areas like Brimbank and Melton, which are home to many migrant and multicultural communities and rank among the city's most socioeconomically disadvantaged. In these regions, searches of African-appearing people were about 86% less likely to uncover drugs than searches of white-appearing people.
Community Concerns and Accountability Issues
Andrew Ohide, chair of Victoria's South Sudanese Community Association, reported that young South Sudanese Australians frequently describe being stopped by police without clear reasons. "The racial issues are always happening between the young South Sudanese and the police. It's occurring regularly," he said. Ohide emphasized that any police officer engaging in racial profiling should be held accountable.
Dr. Berhan Ahmed, chief executive at youth and community services organisation Africause, described the findings as "serious" and expressed concern over Victoria police's failure to implement mandatory reporting of ethnic appearance. "This system needs to look at this as a justice issue," he stated.
Missing Data and Unfulfilled Commitments
Victoria police officially prohibited racial profiling in 2015, becoming the first force in Australia to do so. However, the analysis reveals that key data on ethnic appearance is still missing in about 20% of searches, despite a 2013 commitment to monitor for discriminatory practices. This lack of data hampers efforts to track racial profiling effectively.
In the Haile-Michael federal court case, settled in 2013, Victoria police agreed to revise field contact practices, including making reporting on perceived ethnic appearance mandatory. Yet, this recommendation was never implemented. A 2016 report from Victoria police cited complexities in collecting ethnic appearance data, stating it is included "where possible" to assist in identification.
Another unfulfilled recommendation involved developing monitoring systems for disproportionate policing across ethnic groups at various levels. Victoria police cited privacy obligations and data quality issues as barriers, despite releasing relevant data under freedom-of-information laws, demonstrating that such monitoring is feasible.
Expert Perspectives and Police Response
Rebecca Wickes, director of the Griffith Criminology Institute, noted that while racial profiling may be occurring, definitive conclusions are challenging due to data issues. "The literature provides a great deal of support for unconscious or conscious bias towards different racial groups," she said, but advised caution in interpreting results due to missing data.
Chris Cuneen, a professor of criminology at the University of Technology Sydney, said the analysis "broadly conforms with what we know" about racialisation and policing. He highlighted similar patterns in searches of First Nations young people in New South Wales, where low hit rates were observed.
Victoria police did not respond to specific questions about the failure to implement mandatory ethnic reporting. In a general statement, a spokesperson said searches are conducted only with lawful grounds and that officers are trained to respond to behavior, not background or ethnic appearance. The spokesperson added that Victoria police is committed to treating all community members with dignity, respect, and fairness, with mandatory human rights training for officers.
Call for Improved Data Collection and Accountability
Wickes emphasized the need for more accurate data collection on stop-and-search practices, given their impact on privacy and freedom of movement. "I think that at the very least the stop and search data should be as accurate and reliable as it could possibly be, and it is the responsibility of the police to ensure this occurs," she said.
The analysis underscores ongoing concerns about racial bias in policing and highlights the importance of transparent data practices to ensure equitable treatment for all communities in Victoria.
