How police agencies decide if and when to release video of shootings, unpacking the data of police use of force, SoCal-centered analysis of the upcoming presidential debate.
Keith Lamont Scott and the decision to release a police video
Facing mounting pressure from protestors and community leaders, Charlotte police chief Kerr Putney made the decision over the weekend to release dashboard and body cam videos of the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina.
We'll talk about how police agencies decide if and when to release video of police shootings to the public is David Klinger.
He's a professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. He's also a former LAPD officer.
Data on police shootings is improving but challenges remain
For decades, there hasn't been consistent and comprehensive tracking of shootings by police officers in the United States.
But that's starting to change.
A number of organizations have begun compiling such data-- journalists at The Guardian, The Washington Post, KPCC, and researchers at UC Berkeley have all begun separate tracking efforts.
And last week, the California Department of Justice launched an online database to track police shootings and other uses of force in the state.
Washington Post reporter Kimbriell Kelly, KPCC data editor Chris Keller and UC Berkeley law professor Frank Zimring joined Take Two for a discussion about the challenges involved in compiling and analyzing data on police shootings.
To hear the full interview, click the blue player above.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump tread fine lines tonight
Tonight, millions will turn their attention to Hofstra University in New York, where the stage is set for what could be one of the most-watched presidential debates in history.
The forum comes on the heels of a Bloomberg poll showing nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in a dead heat. Viewership tonight could surpass the 46-million household record set in 2012 by Mitt Romney and President Obama.
For a California view, Take Two spoke with two guests:
- Thad Kousser, professor of political science at UC San Diego
- Mike Madrid, Republican strategist
Trump and Clinton go head to head online
While the most recent polls see Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton neck and neck, online it's a different story. Each candidate has their strengths and their weaknesses.
Laposky is a staff writer at Wired and she's been writing about the digital side of the 2016 election. She joins Alex Cohen for a discussion on the candidates digital strategies.
Stranger Things producer on why the show's a cultural phenomenon
If you've never seen Netflix's series "Stranger Things" you should know that it's creepy. Really creepy.
Set in a small town in Indiana during the 1980s, the show focuses on different characters as they slowly come to the realization that something deeply disturbing is going on in the town following the disappearance of a local boy. It's got mystery, horror, blood, guts, twists and turns and good old 1980s nostalgia. And it's resonated with audiences, becoming a full fledged cultural phenomenon.
"To be right in the sweet spot of talked about culture, that is, even for me, you know having made 11 movies, I haven't experienced this before," said Shawn Levy, executive producer and director on Stranger Things. "I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why and it's hard to unpack that."
Stranger Things was created by twin brothers, Matt and Ross Duffer, who brought the project to producer Shawn Levy. He's the guy behind the family films like the "Night at the Museum" franchise, "Reel Steel" and "Cheaper by the Dozen."
But when pressed, Levy thinks it's the tone of the time in the 1980s that audiences connect with.
"The world felt safer. The world, and it breaks my heart to say this, but the world was safer. And I know that a lot of us yearn for the relative innocence of that," he explained to Take Two's Alex Cohen. "And I do think that the show transports us back to a cultural and global climate that was fundamentally more comforting. It was fundamentally less scary."
To hear the entire conversation with Levy click on the audio embedded at the top of this post.
The next big fight for the hourly worker: schedule predictability
On Take Two, we've talked about a boost in the minimum wage - and whether that could bring more economic opportunity to more people. Now, we want to look at what some are calling the next big fight for the hourly worker: schedule predictability.
The idea behind it is to create more consistency for employees and protect them from last-minute scheduling changes that add more hours unexpectedly - or take hours away.
For more, Chris Tilly, an economist and a professor of urban planning at UCLA joins the show to discuss.
To hear the full segment, click the blue play button above.
LA Probation Department allows promotions, despite disciplinary action
More than 50 employees at the Los Angeles County Probation Department have received promotions, despite a history of disciplinary problems
The workers were previously denied promotions for everything from off-duty drunk driving to the mistreatment of children. One lawsuit later, and the rules have now changed.
For more on why, Take Two's A Martinez spoke with Garrett Therolf. He's a reporter with UC Berkeley's Investigative Reporting Program and Common Sense News. His story was published in the LA Times.
Yosemite's legacy: breathtaking views, and a "toxic, hostile," work environment for women
The great outdoors doesn't seem at first blush like a hostile work environment, but for countless women working in the National Park Service, it's exactly that.
New claims from a total of nearly 20 employees at the beloved Yosemite National Park were brought up at a recent hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reporting gender discrimination and workplace harassment. Other news claims have also been reported at Yellowstone National Park.
In January, NPS employees were reporting sexual harassment claims at the Grand Canyon National Park.
The scope and scale of harassment has been labeled "toxic, hostile, repressive and harassing" by employees at the park service.
Survivors have seen their assailants get promoted within the ranks instead of being investigated for their behavior.
The investiagtions are uncovering what is turning out to be a decades-long problem within the Parks Service that spans the ranks.
Take Two talked to Editorial Fellow Lyndsey Gilpin at High Country News for more
To report anonymously harassment within the National Park Service or any federal land agency, click here.
Tens of thousands protest against same-sex marriage in Mexico City
Over the weekend, tens of thousands of people marched through Mexico City in protest against a government proposal to legalize same-sex marriage.
Gay marriage is already legal in Mexico City and some Mexican states, but in the predominantly Roman Catholic country, it remains a controversial issue.
On Sunday, Pope Francis weighed in from Rome, voicing his support for the protestors.
NPR's Mexico City correspondent Carrie Kahn joins Take Two with more.
To hear the full interview, click the blue player above.