The Police IndexStop data: 2024 · Pay and hiring checked Nov 2026
What the job looks like at East Palo Alto Police
1,422 people stopped in 2024Busiest hour 9pm to 10pmSan Mateo County
East Palo Alto Police is the police department for the city of East Palo Alto, in San Mateo County. This page shows what its officers spend their time on, from the stops the department reported to the state for 2024.
People stopped
About 4 a day
1,422 people in 2024. A stop is a detention or search, so calls with no detention are not counted. Most common reason: red light, stop sign or traffic sign, 35%.
What East Palo Alto Police officers stop people for
Red light, stop sign or traffic sign35%
Registration, plates or insurance13%
Speeding8%
Outstanding warrant7%
Lights, tint or equipment6%
Mental health hold3%
Lane, turn or right-of-way violation2%
Assault, battery, robbery or threats2%
Theft, burglary or stolen property2%
Domestic violence2%
Everything else20%
The main reason recorded for each of 1,422 people stopped in 2024, grouped from the offense code.
When the work happens
18% of stops happen between 10pm and 5am.
East Palo Alto Police
San Mateo County average
12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Darker means a larger share of stops in that hour.
How the work is done
Each dot is a department in San Mateo County. East Palo Alto Police is highlighted.
On foot28% 4th of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
For a traffic violation69% 14th of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%60%80%100%
After a call for service20% 3rd of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
Person perceived as unhoused10% 1st of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
How stops end
Verbal warning35% 12th of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%60%80%
Citation28% 10th of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%60%
Arrest21% 1st of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
Psychiatric hold3% 2nd of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
One person can have more than one outcome, so these do not add to 100%.
Searches and handcuffs
Person searched10% 8th of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
Handcuffed28% 1st of 17 in San Mateo County
0%20%40%
This page covers the work only. Pay, hiring steps and test rules for this department are not on the site yet. Agencies differ in how consistently they record handcuffing and searches, so small gaps may not be real.