A California police accountability program created after the 2020 protests over George Floyd’s murder is taking far longer than families and advocates had hoped, leaving relatives of people killed by officers waiting years for answers.
The program, approved by state lawmakers and launched in July 2021, shifted investigations of fatal police shootings involving unarmed civilians away from local prosecutors and into the hands of the California Department of Justice. Supporters argued the change would reduce conflicts of interest and bring greater independence to decisions about whether officers should face criminal charges.
Nearly five years after the protests that helped propel the reform, the results have been slower and less decisive than many expected.
According to a CalMatters review, completed investigations now take an average of nearly two years and five months. Some cases have stretched beyond three years. Those delays can carry serious consequences: legal deadlines may pass, limiting the ability to pursue officer decertification or most potential criminal charges.
Through 41 completed investigations, the state Justice Department has not recommended criminal charges against any officer who shot and killed an unarmed person, CalMatters reported.
For families, the long timelines have added to the pain of losing a loved one. Jeanelle Couch, whose son David Couch was killed by a California Highway Patrol officer in Redding, said the state’s three-year investigation meant the family had to relive the shooting again and again.
“We can’t put it to rest,” Couch told CalMatters, noting that the family still has lawsuits pending against the state, the county and the officer involved. “But this is my life now. I don’t care how long it takes.”
The statewide program applies across California, including law enforcement agencies in Southern California and the Inland Empire when cases meet the criteria. Its creation followed a wave of demonstrations in 2020, when protesters demanded changes to policing, enforcement disparities and the way officers are investigated after deadly encounters.
Before the law passed, similar legislation had struggled in Sacramento. The national outrage after Floyd’s killing changed the political landscape, drawing new support for taking certain deadly force investigations out of local hands.
But the Justice Department has said the program has been hampered by limited resources. Officials requested $26 million annually to operate it, but received $13 million, according to CalMatters.
The gap between the reform’s promise and its pace has frustrated families who expected more timely findings. Unlike high-profile court cases or public hearings, much of the work now takes place behind closed doors as state investigators review evidence, prepare reports and decide whether an officer’s conduct warrants prosecution.
The issue remains central to debates over police accountability in California. For supporters of the law, independent state review is still an important safeguard. For families waiting years for a decision, however, the process can feel like another burden after an already devastating loss.
Original source: CalMatters
