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California to start collecting info on people shot or injured by police
A police officer in uniform.
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Maya Sugarman/KPCC
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California to start collecting info on people shot or injured by police
In a significant change to the way officer-involved shootings are tracked, law enforcement agencies across California must begin reporting those shootings and other significant uses of force to state officials starting in 2016.
Until now, California did not collect use of force data, making it difficult to identify problematic patterns or hone best practices, according to those who supported the new state law, which was approved in October.
Earlier this year, KPCC compiled data on officer-involved shootings in a five-year period in Los Angeles County--but such information has never been available on a statewide basis in California.
The new law will require agencies divulge information about suspects - age, gender and race, type of stop, whether he or she was armed - but little about the officers themselves, including their names.
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California's change comes amidst growing local and nationwide protests against police use of force, particularly the shooting deaths of young, black men. Many law enforcement leaders, from Los Angeles Police Commission President Matt Johnson to the FBI Director James Comey, have offered data collection as a response to public outcry.
On Monday, the Office of the Attorney General publicly released data collection parameters, which were modeled after the legislation and crafted with input from California law enforcement associations, state and local law enforcement agencies, and advocacy groups, according to a release.
“California is leading the nation in promoting accountability through open data, which will strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities that we are sworn to protect," said Kamala Harris in the release.
CA Use of Force Reporting Template
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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