Category: Recent Developments

A Rio Vista police officer who was fired last year for dishonesty and making a false arrest was awarded her job back on Tuesday. The Rio Vista City Council decided to downgrade Officer Natalie Rafferty’s termination to a suspension for her involvement in a 2018 incident. The move, though, is largely symbolic because the city disbanded its Police Department late last year. Rafferty will, however, receive back pay. The…

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Tuesday, July 1410:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT At the heart of the police reform protests has been the notion that police are either motivated or impacted by racism in the decision to use deadly force, but what are the facts? I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to learn as much as possible about police, deadly force, and race, and this…

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SACRAMENTO, CA — As California enters wildfire season, the state is scrambling to find sufficient firefighters amid the coronavirus outbreak that has depleted the ranks of inmates who usually handle some of the toughest duties and caused a budget deficit that derailed plans to hire 600 new state firefighters and support personnel. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday said the state would instead add 172 professional firefighters and he’ll use…

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NEW BEDFORD, MA — Mayor Jon Mitchell wants the matter of removing police captains from the bargaining unit with their rank-and-file officersto be on the table during the union’s contract arbitration, according to a letter he sent to the management chair of the Joint Labor-Management Committee (JLMC) on June 22. According to Mitchell, having captains in the same bargaining unit as officers who are subject to their command undermines…

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METHUEN, MA — Methuen police laid off nearly 20 percent of its force Wednesday after budget cuts brought on by the coronavirus pandemic left the department unable to support the positions, according to the police chief. Chief Joseph Solomon said he was forced to let go of 10 officers, a lieutenant, three sergeant positions, and two dispatchers as result of the financial woes, Boston 25 News reports. The cuts take hold July…

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There is growing support on the Sacramento City Council for a ballot measure that could grant the council more power over decisions about pay, benefits and working conditions for public safety personnel, including police officers. Consultants earlier this year recommended the city repeal binding arbitration protections for public safety unions to save money as the city approaches potential budget deficits in the coming years with soaring pension payments. The…

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HOUSTON — The Houston Fire Department said its firefighters are running on empty as they try to keep up with the city’s pandemic surge. HFD Chief Sam Pena said about 300 firefighters are in quarantine. Pena said the ones not in quarantine are overworked and there is no end in sight. “Yes, they’re being stretched thin, and yes, they’re being overworked and it is stressful for them,” Pena said….

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State lawmakers are churning out more proposed laws to hold cops accountable for misconduct. A bill introduced by state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) would require police officers to obtain personal liability insurance to cover civil lawsuits filed against them for excessive force and other abuses as a way to deter misconduct. Under current law, cops who are sued are represented by the city law department and taxpayers foot the…

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MILWAUKEE, WI — A dozen Milwaukee firefighters will be disciplined and the city Fire Department will conduct anti-harassment training following an investigation into a brown figurine found hanging in a fire station. The department’s investigation found that a white male firefighter found the figurine shaped like a fetus on the street and brought it into the station out of “curiosity.” He then hung the figurine by its neck with…

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PHOENIX, AZ — An Arizona firefighter’s association is pleading with the community to limit 911 calls to just emergencies after seeing crews contract COVID-19 at an “alarming rate.” United Phoenix Firefighters wrote on a Facebook post on Thursday that, “Valley fire departments are seeing a profound spike in our call volumes for COVID related calls.” The state has seen a surge in coronavirus patients that threatens to overwhelm hospitals and forced…

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Governor Kate Brown met Friday with three of the Oregon State Police officers who sparked outrage after they were seen on video not wearing masks in a Corvallis coffee shop earlier this week. In sharing a photo of herself and the officers sitting down at Mahonia, the governor’s official residence in Salem, to discuss the issue, Brown said on Facebook that she is focused on saving lives, not firing people….

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AURORA, CO — The Aurora Police Department has fired two of the three officers who posed for photos at the Elijah McClain memorial. The other officer resigned. One photo shows the officers reenacting the chokehold used on McClain, who later died. “To even think about doing such a thing, it’s beyond comprehension, and it’s reprehensible. It shows a lack of morals values and integrity, and a judgment that I…

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MEMPHIS, TN — Memphis City Council members will talk Tuesday, July 7, about removing commissioned police officers from the city’s civil service system. The specific proposal on the council committee list released Thursday afternoon is a referendum ordinance for the Nov. 3 ballot. The exact written proposal was not available Thursday. But council member JB Smiley Jr. said earlier this week on the WKNO Channel 10 program “Behind The…

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PATERSON, NJ — More than half the applicants offered jobs in the Paterson police department this month declined the positions and officials attributed the unusually high rejection rate to the public outrage over George Floyd’s death and fears about COVID-19. About 60 men and women who had taken the police test last November and achieved the highest scores attended a city hiring orientation session on June 1 and were…

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A North Carolina police officer has been fired after being caught on camera saying he “can’t wait” to slaughter Black people and that a civil war was needed to wipe them out. Officer Kevin Piner was terminated alongside Cpl. Jessie Moore and another officer, James Gilmore, after an internal investigation, the Wilmington Police Department’s newly appointed police chief Donny Williams announced during a news conference on Wednesday. Williams said…

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SANDY, UT — Sandy City police officers and firefighters may not be getting the raises that they were due to receive this year (a portion of which was funded by last year’s property tax increase) because the city council is concerned about being able to afford them amid the COVID-19 pandemic.   During the council’s June 9 meeting, Councilmembers Kristin Coleman-Nicholl, Marci Houseman and Alison Stroud introduced an amendment to…

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PHILADELPHIA, PA — Over the last couple weeks, the messages from younger Black police officers have been frequent — each one a missive of “despair.” “I’ve never been more ready to walk away from a career,” read one. Another told her, “We’re not OK. Blue doesn’t acknowledge us because we’re Black, and Black doesn’t acknowledge us because we’re blue.” The Philadelphia Police supervisor who shared the messages declined to…

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Following several deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on June 16 that calls for increased training and credentialing to reduce the use of excessive force by police. The order did not mention the need for police to get a college education, even though higher education was identified in the 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing as one of six…

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MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The use of the phrase “not taking our foot off their throat,” made multiple times by Manhattan Beach Fire Chief Daryn Drum, along with other remarks, led to his firing Friday evening. Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Moe issued a statement at 7 p.m. stating that Drum was “served with a notice of termination” and that Police Chief Derrick Abell will step in on an…

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WASHINGTON, DC — A survey by the D.C. Police Union shows 71 percent of its polled members are considering leaving the Metropolitan Police Department over police reform legislation. The Union released the survey on Thursday saying that the D.C. Council’s reforms have presented “negative impacts to the working conditions of police officers.” The Union says 600 of its members responded to the poll. “Many of our members have voiced that that…

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Since George Floyd’s death three weeks ago, the role of America’s criminal justice system has been catapulted to the forefront of national conversation with thousands calling for sweeping changes within the country’s policing system. Protesters have called on their community leaders to hold officers accountable and defund police departments — in hopes those funds could be redirected toward other programs. And many local leaders have responded, signing orders changing…

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The Los Angeles Police Department, which had almost 10,000 officers working every day for a week, spent over $40 million on officers working overtime due to the coronavirus pandemic and recent protests against police brutality, and the department will be paying all overtime earned after June 7 in compensation time, it was reported Monday. The department spent more than it had been allotted for emergencies after the entire department…

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To all the peaceful protesters and concerned citizens, the Dallas Police Association’s message is and will continue to be: We see you. We hear you. We’re with you. Our association has been outspoken about the tragic death of George Floyd. What happened to Floyd should deeply disturb every officer. The tactics used by the officers during his arrest are not what we train or teach, and the bad actions…

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The Long Beach police officer responsible for posting photos on his social media, including one showing him standing over blood with his baton, this week amid days of protests held in the city to remember George Floyd has been “relieved from employment,” the department announced Friday night. “Our organization is dedicated to our community and we must build upon the relationships we have while continuing to develop and foster…

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