Police Practices

Police officers have a unique role and position within our society. Yet police abuse continues to be a major concern, particularly in poor communities and communities of color. 

The ACLU of Northern California’s Police Practices Project monitors police abuses and promotes accountability and oversight. Using legislative advocacy, grassroots organizing, litigation, and public education, the Project works to ensure that police officers do their jobs without violating individuals’ constitutional rights.

Legislation Would Restore the Public’s Right to Know about Police Conduct
For over 30 years, the ACLU of Northern California has championed independent public civilian oversight of police departments in Northern California. A recent California Supreme Court decision, Copley Press v. Superior Court, has shut out the public’s access to police records and hearings, effectively drawing a cloak of secrecy over police conduct.
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ACLU Issues Report on the Proliferation of Video Surveillance Systems in California
California cities are moving quickly to install video surveillance cameras on public streets and plazas without regulations, with little or no public debate, and without an evaluation of their effectiveness. "Under the Watchful Eye," a new report issued by the California ACLU affiliates, examines the justifications for and consequences of this dramatic expansion in government video surveillance of public space at the local level.
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Stun Gun Fallacy: How the Lack of Taser Regulation Endangers Lives
Over a recent five-year period, at least 148 people in the United States and Canada have died after encounters with police who shocked them with Tasers. In one recent year alone, there were 77 post-Taser fatalities around the nation. Fifteen of those fatalities were in Northern and Central California.
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New Report Exposes Covert Government Monitoring of Political Activity
Federal, state and local agencies have infiltrated or monitored the political activity of Californians throughout Central and Northern California in what has become a disturbing trend, according to an ACLU-NC report released in July.
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