News and Events-Restore Civilian Oversight of Police

Support Legislation to Restore Civilian Oversight of Californian Police!

Gloria Romero's bill SB 1019 passed the Senate, but is now a 2 year bill having failed to clear the Assembly Public Safety Committee. This legislation would re-open civilian police review board hearings and records to the public and bring sunshine instead of an iron curtain to police conduct. We will continue to work with hundreds of organizations and individuals throughout the State to bring this bill to the Governor this legislative session and to ensure that he signs it.

Write a letter to the Californian Assembly urging support for SB 1019.

For more information about SB 1019, see also:

Community Oversight of the Police Gutted by California Supreme Court Ruling!

The California Supreme Court has recently ruled, in a 6-1 decision that a police officer's right to confidentiality trumps the public's right to know what allegations have been brought against officers by citizens.

Known as the 'Copley' decision, the ruling prohibits the release of officers' names and the allegations against them, as well as any recommendations for discipline, or information about discipline which has been imposed. The ruling further requires that any evidentiary hearings, like those put on by the Berkeley Police Review Commission and the Oakland Citizens' Police Review Board must be closed to the public.

As a result of this draconian reversal of open government, several organizations are collaborating on ways to reverse this undermining of police accountability. Without question, we will challenge will this stunning ruling both at the State and local levels, both politically and legally.

IMPORTANT: Anyone who has a complaint against Oakland police officers should provide the information about the incident first to PUEBLO, before filing an official complaint with the City. Report police abuse!

Since the City's records are now secret, the only way to hold the officers accountable is for PUEBLO to continue to update its own database of complaints - now over 1500. We will be able to tell you if officers have had prior complaints and law suits against them. We will also assist you in filing a complaint with the City and assess the possibility of getting legal assistance. But unless you come to us first, all of the information about what happened to you, including the names of the officers, will be withheld from us, and we will lose all those records.

For more information, check out these articles:

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