Criminal Justice Reform Took a Back Seat at the 2024 DNC
The official Democratic Party platform no longer endorses abolishing the death penalty, decriminalizing marijuana, or repealing mandatory minimums.
Police
Albuquerque's Police Chief Says Cops Have a 5th Amendment Right To Leave Their Body Cameras Off
Harold Medina made that argument during an internal investigation of a car crash he caused last February.
Trump's New, More Sophisticated Take on Crime Still Does Not Show 'Homicides Are Skyrocketing'
Although his campaign rejects the FBI's numbers as "garbage," they are broadly consistent with evidence from other sources.
Police Cannot Seize Property Indefinitely After an Arrest, Federal Court Rules
Many circuit courts have said that law enforcement can hold your property for as long as they want. D.C.’s high court decided last week that’s unconstitutional.
Uvalde Police Timid, Bungling During School Shooting, New Records Reveal
If you want something done right, do it yourself. That includes protecting family, friends, and neighbors.
5 Years of Chicago Police Misconduct Cost Taxpayers Almost $400 Million
Repeat offenders accounted for over 40 percent of the hefty cost.
Pit Stop Policing Transforms Traffic Violations Into High-Stakes Drug Hunts
South Carolina's Operation Rolling Thunder targets cash and contraband but harasses guilty and innocent travelers alike.
The FBI Raided This Innocent Woman's House. Will She Ever Get Justice?
Thus far, the courts have barred Curtrina Martin from asking a jury for damages. She is appealing to the Supreme Court.
South Carolina Cops and Courts Rig the Game Against Drivers
An uneven playing field allows the aggressive tactics and legal loopholes that turn traffic stops into cash grabs.
Inside the Unchecked Bus Searches by South Carolina Police
Routine searches of commercial buses violate privacy, target low-income passengers, and result in widespread violations.
South Carolina Cops Target Out-of-State Drivers for Highway Robbery
No arrest necessary as South Carolina police hunt for cash
Oklahoma Cops Under Investigation for Slamming Innocent Dad to the Ground for 'Suspicious' Walk With Son
A father says his 6-year-old autistic son is traumatized after two police officers tackled the father for refusing to give his ID during an early morning walk in Watonga.
Prostitution Surveillance Tower Goes Up in San Diego
Warrantless surveillance, Comic Con "sex trafficking," and the persistence of trafficking myths
Operation Rolling Thunder: The Shocking Truth Behind Spartanburg's Traffic Stops
A 21-month legal battle unveils the dark side of South Carolina's annual traffic crackdown.
Trump Wants Police To Be Above the Law
Donald Trump pledged to give cops "immunity from prosecution." The idea is both legally illiterate and dangerous.
She 'Came at Me With Boiling Water,' a Cop Charged With Murder Claims, Contradicting What Video Shows
An Illinois sheriff's deputy with a spotty employment history shot Sonya Massey in the face after responding to her report of a prowler.
Faulty Facial Recognition Tech Got Him Arrested. Now He's Getting a $300,000 Payout.
Robert Williams was arrested in 2020 after facial recognition software incorrectly identified him as the person responsible for a Detroit-area shoplifting incident.
The Trump Campaign Won't Stop Lying About a Minnesota Man Acquitted of Shooting at Police
Jaleel Stallings became an attack ad for Republicans. What they don't mention is that he was acquitted, and a police officer pleaded guilty to assaulting him.
Firearms Policy Coalition Takes No Prisoners in Sharp Response to Thin-Skinned Maine Governor
Gov. Janet Mills’s office referred critical social media posts to the police. The FPC pushed back.
Man Who Was Arrested for Flipping Off Cop Settles for $175,000
However distasteful, the First Amendment protects a citizen’s right to give a police officer the middle finger.
Journalist Sues Cops Who Handcuffed Him for Photographing 'Cop City' Arrests
After police detained Benjamin Hendren, they urged construction workers to lie about him.
9th Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity for Honolulu Cops Who Handcuffed 10-Year-Old Girl
Officers should have known that handcuffing a compliant 10-year-old is unnecessary, the court ruled.
Study: George Floyd Protests Did Not Cause Mass Exodus of Police Officers
Most officer retirements happened in 2021, and there is no evidence showing cities with more intense protests saw a greater number of officer exits.
The Best of Reason: What Caused the D.C. Crime Wave?
Don't blame criminal justice reform or a lack of social spending for D.C.'s crime spike. Blame government mismanagement.
Federal Judge, ICE Agents Linked to Compromised Spyware Use
The surveillance company mSpy just suffered its third data breach in a decade, exposing government officials snooping for both official and unofficial reasons.
Baltimore Brings Back Controversial Cellphone Hacking System
A year after a court told Maryland police that Cellebrite searches were too broad, Baltimore quietly resumed using the software.
Tennessee Law Declares Narcan Recipients 'Under the Influence' for 24 Hours
The Ben Kredich Act, named for a young man killed by an allegedly impaired motorist, overcorrects in response to a tragic incident.
Illinois License Plate Cameras Are Violating People's Constitutional Rights, Says New Suit
The plaintiffs are challenging the state's widespread surveillance, which it collects through over 600 cameras.
Justice Department Says Phoenix Police Violated Rights of Children, Minorities, Protesters, Homeless People
Phoenix police are trained that "deescalation" means overwhelming and immediate force, whether or not it's necessary.
40 Percent of Police Officers Convicted of Child Sex Abuse Don't Get Prison Time, Investigation Finds
An analysis by The Washington Post found that nearly 1,800 police officers were arrested for child sex abuse-related crimes between 2005 and 2022.
Preliminary FBI Data: Crime Steeply Declined in Early 2024
While the data is far from perfect, if the overall trend holds, violent crime could be back to pre-COVID levels by the end of the year.
What Caused the D.C. Crime Wave?
Don't blame criminal justice reform or a lack of social spending for D.C.'s crime spike. Blame government mismanagement.
Vermont Cops Terrorize High School Students With 'Mock Shooting'
"I'm shaking and crying because I'm like, 'Oh my god, I'm gonna get shot,'" one student told a Vermont newspaper. "It felt so real."
Louisiana's New 25-Foot Legal Forcefield for Police Threatens Accountability and Civil Liberties
A new law will make it much harder to film law enforcement officers in their public duties. Does that violate the First Amendment?
Police Flew Drones Over One California City Nearly 20,000 Times in 6 Years
A WIRED investigation reveals the extent to which residents of Chula Vista are subjected to surveillance from the sky.
With Ride or Die, the Bad Boys Movies Become Referendums on Masculinity
The fourth Bad Boys film is an uninspired retread.
Woman Struck by Train While Locked in Police Car To Get $8.5 Million Settlement
Yareni Rios was severely injured after a train struck a police car she had been placed in after being arrested in 2022.
