A new statewide database of police misconduct and use of force records in California has been launched. It includes 12,000 cases spread over 1.5 million pages, obtained from nearly 500 law enforcement agencies. Funded by the state, the database is accessible for free online and represents a significant effort by multiple organizations. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability in law enforcement, with key legislation enabling public access to these records. The database was developed by UC Berkeley and Stanford University following years of advocacy and collaboration among journalists and rights organizations.
"The people of Vallejo, who have long suffered under a violent police department and the secrecy that protected the Vallejo Police Department, will now have access to thousands of documents that corroborate what they have long been saying," said Yoel Haile, director of the criminal law and immigration project at the ACLU of Northern California, in an email.
"This has been a huge collaborative effort," said Lisa Pickoff-White, a co-founder of the project who directs research for UC Berkeley's Investigative Reporting Program.
"The new database of police use of force and misconduct cases is a collaboration of many partners, including the ACLUs of Northern and Southern California which filed and litigated Public Records Act requests to make these records accessible after we helped pass SB 1421," said Haile.
"It took over 100 journalists and advocates over seven years to get public agencies all over the state to give up the formerly secret records, which became available thanks to changes in state law, at least one of which was introduced by former Bay Area state Sen. Nancy Skinner and sponsored by advocacy groups including the ACLU."
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