Legal
Through the passing and enforcement of laws, governments wield a powerful tool for keeping their communities safe. In this section, we highlight the myriad ways local governments engage with the legal system to move their communities forward and protect their citizens. Though by no means a perfect system – enforcement inequities continue to make the headlines – local leaders are striving to create laws that work fairly for all.
Improving staffing at Georgia’s prisons is one of the biggest challenges facing the system; A senator said it was important to study the staffing issue and come up with solutions to attract qualified COs
San Francisco Police Department leaders and city officials expect to launch the task force in the spring of 2024 to investigate opioid deaths and illicit drug operations as potential homicide cases
The court’s opinion cited developmental differences between adults and children and their differing capacities for rehabilitation
Judge Urias said he agreed with plaintiffs who accused the governor of impeding on constitutional rights
The new policy also requires departments with extra ammunition to hand it over to the Sheriff’s Department for use in training
The judge freed the department from federal oversight in a move he called “the end of the beginning” of Seattle police reform
The new response system will minimize police presence at protests and enforce de-escalation methods before increasing response, unless public safety is at risk
Law enforcement offices that serve rural counties can receive funds to raise pay, hire new officers and buy new equipment
Officer Agdeppa said the suspect attacked him and his partner; Agdeppa said he was in fear for his partner’s life when he shot the suspect
Court rules that under state law, the city of Wickliffe should have held a competitive exam to fill the position
A judge pointed out that the city failed to provide any evidence demonstrating that the officer’s off-duty cannabis use had an impact on her job performance
Under the legislation, names, photos and alleged offenses of juveniles can be distributed by law enforcement agencies while a suspect is at large
A 2019 state law banned PDs from justifying shootings with reasonableness; now, they must prove their actions were “necessary” for self-defense or defending others
Three Black Kansas City firefighters say they have experienced a hostile work environment and retaliation for speaking to investigators
Officer Jeffrey Smith’s death resulted in a new law that extended eligibility for federal benefits to the families of officers who died by suicide
“It is incredibly important our hardworking correctional officers get paid what they deserve,” Gov. Jim Justice said
At the time of the 2019 killings, Michael Cummins was close to being arrested for probation violations
The report states there was also no captain on duty as a result of a staffing issue that left the Vierno Center eight captains short on the day the inmate died
San Francisco Fire Department Chief Jeanine Nicholson presented regulators 55 written reports of the robotaxis interfering with emergency response
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