In the News

The County of Humboldt is preparing to hand out more than $1.2 million worth of services to local residents who’ve been impacted by the war on drugs — specifically, cannabis prohibition. Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements can apply for up to $10,000 in reimbursement for a range of services, including permitting and license fees, business development assistance, even loans and grants to set up solar electrical systems or build water storage capacity.

Criminal justice reformers nationwide rejoiced when L.A. County voters chose George Gascón to lead the nation’s largest prosecutor’s office, celebrating a big win in a years-long campaign to replace traditional law-and-order district attorneys with ones intent on change.

State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), who has been an author of multiple police reform bills, said that the California District Attorneys Assn. still holds “tremendous sway” within the Capitol, but “in the 10 years I have been here, we do see a shift.”

I am a white 50-year-old man, a professional and father of two. I am also a victim of police violence.

In California, Senate Bill 731 sought to reform the state’s civil rights statute, the Bane Act, by abolishing the state-level equivalent of qualified immunity for police officers and establishing a statewide system for revoking the license of officers who commit serious misconduct. Unfortunately, it stalled in the Legislature earlier this year.

SB 2, by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), would grant CA justice officials the power to decertify law enforcement officers fired for misconduct or convicted of certain crimes “against public justice,” including falsification of records, bribery, or perjury. In this way, the bill would stop those officers from being able to jump to a new city and a new job in law enforcement.

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