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California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a series of police reform bills to tackle law enforcement misconduct that would deprive officers of their badges for a series of incidents, among other measures.
Surrounded by lawmakers and family members of victims killed by police officers, Newsom signed four bills he said would increase transparency. In his remarks, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said there was a “crisis of confidence” in law enforcement.
“We offer concrete solutions ranging from banning dangerous catches that lead to asphyxiation to many other mechanisms that improve accountability, oversight and transparency,” he said.
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In this file photo from September 14, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks in San Francisco. On Thursday, he signed a series of police reform measures aimed at increasing transparency. (AP Photo / Jeff Chiu, file)
(AP Photo / Jeff Chiu, file)
With the signing, California joins 46 other states that have laws in place allowing the dismissal of officers for acting criminally and for incidents involving racial bias and excessive force. The reforms also increase the minimum age for police officers from 18 to 21, prohibit certain restraint techniques and limit the use of rubber bullets during demonstrations.
“I am here as Governor of California, aware that we are juxtaposed to be a leader on police reform and a laggard on police reform,” he said from a park gym. in the Los Angeles suburb of Gardena. “We have a lot to be proud of, but there are areas where we have nothing to brag about.”
During the signing of the law, supporters chanted “Say his name”, in reference to Kenneth Ross Jr., a 25-year-old black man who was killed in 2018 when an officer shot him in the same park Gardena where Thursday’s event happened. An investigation determined that the officer, Michael Robbins, acted legally when he shot Ross.
Ross’s mother Fouzia Almarou said she hopes the bill will prevent death, especially for people of color.
“This bill means a lot because it will prevent the police from attacking, targeting and being racist towards blacks and browns,” she said.
In this November 3, 2020 file photo, police hold their clubs as they form a line in front of supporters of President Donald Trump on election day in Beverly Hills, Calif., California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a cluster of law enforcement reform bills on Thursday, including a measure that puts in place a way to strip bad police officers of their badges. (AP Photo / Ringo HW Chiu, file)
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Sandra Quinto Collins, mother of Angelo Quinto, wiped away tears as she thanked lawmakers for passing the reforms. Quinto died when a San Francisco police officer pressed his knee to his neck during a mental health intervention call last year.
“Losing a son, losing a brother, sister, father – this pain, this intensity, this expression is not only reflected in the words of these two remarkable women and their families, but we hope they are reflected in this legislation, ”Newsom said. .
The signing of the bill came after the failure of negotiations in Congress that ended a bipartisan police reform plan.
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