Police
California Lawmakers Pass Bill Limiting Police Use of Deadly Force
Officers will now have to argue that killing was necessary and not just say they had a fear they were in danger.
An Iowa Man Wins His Free Speech Suit After Being Charged for a Facebook Rant Against a Cop
Jon Goldsmith was charged with third-degree harassment after calling Deputy Cory Dorsey a "stupid sum bitch" online.
Is Facial Recognition the New Fingerprinting—or Something Much Worse?
State DMVs are building a vast national digital identification database for federal law enforcement.
Here's What's Standing in the Way of Your Independence Day Fireworks
From fireworks task forces to local snitches.
Police Agree To Pay Woman $750,000 After Raiding Her House and Killing Her Dog Over an Unpaid Gas Bill
The case highlights the dangers of using SWAT teams for anything and everything.
A Louisiana Cop Is Out of Prison Early After Fatally Shooting a 6-Year-Old
Two police officers fired 18 bullets into a car even after the driver put his hands in the air.
California Police Agencies Were Supposed To Make Misconduct Records Public. Why Isn't It Happening?
Media outlets are seeing foot-dragging, destroyed records, and demands for big money for compliance.
Facial Recognition Tech Straight Out of 'Robocop' Could Be a Real Threat to Civil Liberties
As governments and law enforcement agencies rush to incorporate facial recognition tech, California lawmakers have a chance to slam on the brakes.
Supreme Court Allows Warrantless Blood Draws of Unconscious Drivers
SCOTUS says it is constitutional for police to draw blood from unconscious drunk driving suspects.
NYPD Union Followed Bill de Blasio All the Way to the Dem Debate To Tell Him How Much They Hate Him
Bill de Blasio is running for president, and police unions are chasing him.
Detroit Police Arrested a City-Commissioned Artist Because He Didn't Have a Permit
A city official even vouched for Sheefy McFly, but police arrested him for resisting.
U.S. Cops Are Facing a Recruitment Crisis. Will It Force Them to Change Their Ways?
Nationally, 66 percent of police departments report seeing declining numbers of applications.
Police Officer Threatens To Shoot Pregnant Woman After Her Child Took Barbie From Family Dollar Store
"There is no situation in which this behavior is ever close to acceptable," said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.
Can the Fourth Amendment Save Us from the Coming Era of Pervasive Biometric Surveillance?
New technologies mean new crimesolving techniques—and new threats to privacy and liberty.
Asset Forfeiture Funding Has Little Impact on Solving Crimes, Says New Study
A new study by the Institute for Justice says federal asset forfeiture funds have little to no impact on solving crimes, suggesting police are more interested in the revenue it generates
How Oakland Cops Gamed the System To Earn $30 Million in Overtime Pay
A new audit reveals how poor oversight and structural problems allowed one Oakland cop to earn $2.5 million in overtime pay in five years.
Cop Arrests Mom for Letting Kids Wait in Car During 10-Minute Errand
A Pennsylvania mom faces reckless endangerment charges for assuming her children—ages 2, 5, and 7—could survive a very short wait.
Migrant Kids As Young As 5 Were Left in Vans Overnight While Waiting to Reunite With Their Families
It took 39 hours for every child to be reunited with their parents.
Was Scot Peterson's Cowardice a Crime?
The criminal charges against the former Broward County sheriff's deputy for failing to intervene in the Parkland shooting seem like a stretch.
San Francisco Police Got a Warrant to Monitor a Journalist's Phone Before Raiding His Apartment
The move is an assault on the First Amendment.
Alabama Passes New Transparency Requirements for Civil Asset Forfeiture
Alabama is one of the least transparent states in the U.S. when it comes to civil asset forfeiture. That could be changing.
Texas Police Union Kills Effort To Close State's 'Dead Suspect Loophole'
Texas law lets police hide records of suspects who die in custody from grieving families. It could have been fixed, but a police union torpedoed the reform bill.
The NYPD Underreported Rape Due to an Outdated Definition of the Crime
The NYPD failed to update its crime-tracking system—and underreported rape by 38 percent.
$6.75 Million Awarded to the Family of a Milwaukee Jail Inmate Who Died From Dehydration
The jail, which saw several deaths, was overseen by former Sheriff David Clarke at the time.
A 16-Year-Old Girl Is Facing Child Pornography Charges for Making a Sex Video of Herself
A finding of guilt would be an attack on the autonomy and self-ownership of all young people
Police Raid on San Francisco Journalist Descends Into Blame Game
The chief and the union square off over who arranged what was likely an illegal search.
Bill Would Limit California Cops' Use of Deadly Force
The legislation moves forward following a compromise with law enforcement groups.
A Retired NYPD Officer Pleads Guilty to Running a Prostitution Ring
The operation used its intimate knowledge of NYPD operations to thrive.
A Man Fights Back After His Profane Rant About a Deputy Ended in Harassment Charges
Jon Goldsmith called a local deputy a "stupid sum bitch" on Facebook, so the deputy's superior charged Goldsmith with writing a threatening statement.
Are We Seeing Early Signs of a Facial Recognition Technopanic?
Or are Americans simply wising up to the dangers posed by cops having their "face prints" on file?
An Amber Alert Was Botched Because Detectives Struggled To Work a Fax Machine. Wait, What?
While well-intentioned, the alert system is often ineffective.
Texas Poised To Ban All Red Light Cameras
The oft-abused tool is used more to raise revenue than to protect public safety.
George Kelling, Father of 'Broken Windows' Policing, Dies
Kelling later disavowed the high-volume arrest programs that police departments justified using his theory.
An NYPD Superior Reacted to Eric Garner's Death by Texting 'Not a Big Deal.' And That's Completely Unsurprising.
For five years, the NYPD, its apologists, and even Mayor Bill de Blasio have absolved cops of their role in Eric Garner's death.
San Francisco Bans Police Use of Facial Recognition
Preventing a slow march toward automated authoritarianism?
Trial (Sort of) Begins Over Police Officer's Conduct in Eric Garner's Death
Five years later, Daniel Pantaleo faces administrative justice.