League of Women Voters Pasadena Area: Democratic Policing - Citizen Participation in Policing Policy

Length

01:28:30

Producer

Pasadena Media

Category

Democracy in Action

Comments

- Undemocratic Policing and Lack of Transparency—police policies adopted in secret; courts and legislatures that do not function as envisioned under state and federal constitutions - Unconstitutional Policing—unwarranted stops, racial/ethnic profiling, searches conducted without cause or warrants, and excessive use of force - Twenty-First Century Policing—surveillance technology, third party and governmental data collection practices that raise individual privacy concerns, as well as national security concerns The LWV-PA Social Justice and LWVLA Criminal Justice Committees convened a panel of experts who offered different perspectives on current policing issues. Barry Friedman, a law professor and founder of the New York University Law School Policing Project, who participated via Zoom from the East Coast. He has worked with numerous jurisdictions nationally on policing issues with the goal of ensuring democratic and constitutional policing. One of those jurisdictions is the City Los Angeles. Max Huntsman, the Inspector General of the Los Angeles County’s Sheriff Department. The Inspector works alongside the Sheriff Department’s Civilian Oversight Commission. The Commission’s recommendations are advisory. Matt Johnson, one of five Los Angeles City’s Board of Police Commissioners. Under the Los Angeles Charter, the Board is the head of the Police Department, responsible for setting overall policy, while the Chief of Police manages the daily operations of the Department and implements the Board’s policies or policy direction and goals. In addition, the Board determines when a use of force is excessive. Thereafter, the Chief determines what, if any, punishment is appropriate.