Justin Tucket’s tragic past His actions as an Imperial County sheriff’s deputy, including warrantless searches, false reports, and disobedience, ultimately led to the Sheriff’s Department initiating dismissal proceedings against him. But when Mr. Tuckett learned of the department’s intentions, he resigned and joined the U.S. Border Patrol, keeping his security officer credentials. Mr. Tuckett said in his capacity as a federal employee in 2012: Shoot Valeria Tashkin Alvaradothe mother of five children who were trying to get away from him by car.

Mr. Tuckett’s disturbing example is not all that special. A California commission given new powers over police licensing recently estimated that it was on the verge of being barred from law enforcement by delicensing thousands of police officers.

For decades, California police officers have been allowed to avoid firing if they commit a serious crime or commit a serious misconduct by quietly quitting and finding work elsewhere. rice field. It was able to do so because California had the strongest legal protections for law enforcement officers in the nation.

Things started to change this year when California became the 47th state to gain the power to revoke police licenses. A law that went into effect January 1 allows the State Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission to revoke a police officer’s certification and disqualify him for employment throughout California.

before the legislature passed it and the governor signed it Senate Bill 2 In 2021, the commission had the power to certify police officers and revoke certificates that were incorrectly awarded or fraudulently obtained. However, a police officer’s certification could not be revoked for improper or criminal conduct.

Bill to rescue George Floyd after murder died in state legislature In 2020, police unions, insurance companies and municipalities are in the midst of an all-out campaign of misinformation and fear-mongering. Opponents say the bill by Senator Stephen Bradford (D-Gardena) would have a “chilling effect” on law enforcement and could result in police being stripped of their licenses for minor offenses like walking over a pedestrian bridge. erroneously claimed to be.

However, the disqualification bill, which specified only “serious” misconduct as meriting punishment, had strong support from community groups, families affected by police misconduct, and civil rights groups and activists. rice field. Hundreds of music, entertainment and sports people signed an open letter urging governors and lawmakers to approve the bill. One of the proponent’s strongest points is his: California was one of only four states There is no such mechanism to hold rogue officers accountable and prevent future abuse.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nearly a quarter of the U.S. workforce This population, which comprises approximately 39 million Americans, is regulated by certification or license. Lawyers and doctors, as well as plumbers and makeup artists, are regulated and scrutinized by state agencies that oversee licensing. But until this year, hairdressers armed with cuticle scissors in California were at more risk of having their licenses revoked than police officers who could use lethal force.

Thanks to the successful push of a similar bill the following year, that is no longer the case. As a result, the newly empowered Police Standards Commission recently estimated that: Disqualify or suspend up to 3,500 police officers Annually for serious misconduct. About 4% of the approximately 90,000 police officers working in California will be disqualified or suspended for serious misconduct, including sexual assault, excessive violence and perjury, according to the commission’s budget request. is.

The commission’s notable predictions highlight just how acute the lack of accountability in California’s law enforcement agencies is. This suggests that local authorities and police unions opposed decertification, knowing that thousands of police officers were involved in serious crimes and misconduct.

Victims of police misconduct and their families have been sounding the alarm for decades. For them, and others in the communities most affected by this issue, these numbers come as no surprise. Police departments have failed to enforce effectively, and the thousands of misconduct charges already filed by the commission speak to law enforcement’s failure to curb abuses within its own chain of command. ing.

Going forward, true accountability will require transparency. This fight was led by the people, and our community deserves to be told the truth. It is therefore very unfortunate that Gov. Gavin Newsom moved to make information more difficult for the public to access About the Commission’s investigation into abusive or unqualified police officers.

Already nearly the last state to hold law enforcement officers accountable, California should stop participating in this race to the bottom. Failure to crack down on those who police us will only further undermine public confidence and cast a shadow over the vast majority of our security personnel who are bravely, honorably, and respectfully serving our people. is.

Julia Yu is a San Diego-based civil rights attorney and president of the National Police Accountability Project.