California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that might strip the badges of police officers who act criminally or with bias. It was one of several criminal justice reform bills signed.
One measure sets statewide standards for when officers use “kinetic projectiles” like rubber bullets, chemical agents or tear gas to break up peaceful demonstrations, The Associated Press reported.
The new legislation requires training officers to use less-lethal options when someone is at risk of death or serious injury, or “to bring an objectively dangerous and unlawful situation safely and effectively under control.”
De-escalation and verbal warning tactics should be used first, the Sept. 30 story noted..
Police can no longer aim rubber bullets, beanbags or foam rounds at anyone’s head, neck or other vital areas.
Another law creates a new state license, or certification, for law enforcement officers — one that can be revoked. The change will end “the wash, rinse, repeat cycle of police conduct,” said Democratic state Sen. Steven Bradford.
“Many times it’s said Black and Brown people hate the police,”said Bradford, who is Black, “We don’t hate the police We fear the police. We fear the police due to lack of trust.”
Law enforcement organizations and Republican lawmakers called the bill biased because only two of the nine members of a new disciplinary board will represent the police.
The remaining seven board members will have professional or personal backgrounds related to police accountability.
The new legislation restricts face-down holds that lead to positional asphyxia — the cause of death for Angelo Quinto, who died after a San Francisco Bay Area officer pressed a knee to his neck in 2020.
