Recent Blog Posts
SB 691 Body-Worn Camera Policy Updates Due by July 1, 2027: How New Medical Privacy Rules Affect Evidence in Force Cases
California’s SB 691 is currently working its way through the legislative process, and should it pass, it will have significant impacts on how law enforcement agencies use body-worn cameras. The primary focus of this law is medical privacy, but it is also expected to affect how force incidents are recorded and how footage is… Read More »
Can the Police Use My Criminal History Against Me In a Lawsuit?
Going up against the police is stressful in the best case scenario—and when you’re worried about your criminal history being used against you, you are far from the best case scenario. You may worry about your past criminal record coming up in court, harming your case and dragging your name through the mud. If… Read More »
AB 1506 and Independent Investigations: What California DOJ is Required to Do After Qualified Officer-Involved Shootings
California’s AB 1506 overhauled how fatal officer-involved shootings are investigated in the state. Rather than leaving investigations up to local prosecutors, which led to dramatically different levels of review throughout the state, this law put in place a requirement for the California Department of Justice to investigate independent investigations in certain cases. This type… Read More »
The Dangers of Prone Positioning and Compression Asphyxia
Time and time again, we’ve seen the dangers of prone positioning play out before our very eyes, either from police officers’ body camera footage or from cell phone footage taken by concerned citizens. Deaths that happen during police confrontations are often described as unavoidable or sudden, but the medicine just doesn’t back that up…. Read More »
In-Custody Overdose Deaths: Denial of Medical Care in Jail
When someone is taken into police custody, the government assumes responsibility for their physical safety and access to medical care. Incarceration does not strip a person of their human rights, no matter how depraved or inhumane others may view their alleged crimes. They are entitled to timely and appropriate medical treatment. However, families across… Read More »
Fatal Officer-Involved Shootings in Los Angeles County
Officer-involved shootings are a problem of epidemic proportions in the United States. California is widely regarded as progressive when it comes to issues of inequality, but the problem persists here. Despite massive efforts statewide and nationwide to bring these numbers down, shooting numbers continue to increase year after year. In Los Angeles County, officials… Read More »
What Real-Time Data in 2025 Reveals
Every year, people die at the hands of police officers. For a long time, families struggled to get answers, thanks to police departments circling the wagons around the officer involved in the shooting and a lack of accountability. But thanks to projects like Mapping Police Violence, the public has access to data that they… Read More »
Berkeley Law Symposium: Barriers to Accountability in Excessive Force Cases
Across the United States, the call for police accountability grows stronger each year. These calls often originate in more progressive areas like California, where legislators and activists have worked to find a fair balance between protecting residents from police overreach and allowing police to do their job effectively. In events like the Berkeley Law… Read More »
Assembly Bill 490: How It Bans Dangerous Restraint Tactics in California
Dangerous police interactions have brought to light hazards of certain police restraint tactics. However, legislation has been slow to act in areas—but not California. California, known for being progressive in the area of civil rights, has taken steps to protect residents from aggressive and unnecessary police tactics. Learn more about Assembly Bill 490 and… Read More »
Use-of-Force Incidents in California
As the most populated state in the country, California is the source of valuable research in all areas—including police overreach, police use of force, and officer-involved shootings. The 2024 statistics were released mid-2025, providing extensive insight into police incidents involving the use of force. While force is sometimes warranted in police interactions, it can… Read More »
