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Published 10 days ago • loading... • Updated 9 days ago
How a George Floyd-inspired California law accidentally weakened police accountability
The average fatal shooting probe takes nearly 2 years and 5 months, and 13 cases have exceeded three years, CalMatters found.
California's 2020 police accountability law has stalled, with the California Department of Justice failing to close a single investigation within its 12-month goal.
Following George Floyd's 2020 killing, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the reform bill; former Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned in 2021 that the $13 million allocation was insufficient.
A CalMatters investigation found 13 use-of-force cases exceeding three years, including the Redding police shooting of David Couch, which took 1,199 days to resolve before finding insufficient evidence.
Cases extending beyond three years prevent officer decertification, potentially allowing officers under investigation to remain employed at other law enforcement agencies despite unresolved shootings.
Attorney General Bonta blames the backlog on limited funding, though critics like Anne Marie Schubert argue the delays erode confidence and deny families timely justice.