On October 1, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 542, which allows first responders to seek workers’ compensation for post-traumatic stress caused by their jobs. It was a momentous occasion that marked a significant victory for members of law enforcement, who deal with incredible stress every day and often feel forced to suffer in silence. Read More »

On September 12, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 230, marking the end of a more than year-long process to amend the state’s use-of-force policies and the beginning of a new era for California law enforcement — one that sets a national precedent in community policing. Read More »

Since the invention of the automobile, police, lawmakers and courts have wrestled with the question of how motor vehicles fit into the Fourth Amendment’s declaration of “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Read More »

Less than a week after a gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, killing two children and a man before turning the gun on himself, a shooter killed 22 and injured 26 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Read More »

In the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting or other high-stakes law enforcement encounter, emotions are heightened for all concerned — the police who took necessary action to stop a threat […] Read More »

Last month, Broward County, Florida, Deputy Scot Peterson was charged for his response — or lack thereof — to the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 students and teachers and injured 17 more. He faces 11 felony counts, including child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury charges. Despite being formally charged over a year after the incident, the school resource officer has been ridiculed ever since the days following the incident, even gaining the nickname of the “Coward of Broward,” for his failure to act. Read More »