Sacramento police killed Stephon Clark 3 years ago. California must pass these reforms

Today marks three years since Sacramento police officers killed Stephon Clark in his grandparents’ backyard. Clark was 22-years-old when two officers shot him eight times on the evening of Mar. 18, 2018.

Two years ago, the Sacramento community responded by mobilizing in support of the California Act to Save Lives, also known as “Stephon Clark’s Law.” The public pressure forced lawmakers to pass critical legislation that updated an outdated use-of-force standard established in 1872.

The final version of Assembly Bill 392 — authored by then-Assemblywoman Shirley Weber — wasn’t perfect. It did, however, create some of the toughest police standards in the nation for using deadly force. The movement to pass AB 392 against fierce opposition also proved that it’s possible to defeat the powerful law enforcement lobby in the California State Capitol.

This year, California must go further. In 2020, California Democrats failed to pass several major police reforms — even after many legislators marched with activists and took a knee while pledging to take action during protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.

Performative solidarity with Black Lives Matter marchers was easy. When it came time to pass important reforms, however, too many legislative leaders failed to show up for Black lives.

We can’t let this happen again. At least 10 police reform bills are circulating through the Capitol this year, including most of last year’s scuttled proposals.

Some of the key bills:

▪ Police decertification (Senate Bill 2). The bill would create a decertification process for police and establish a commission that could revoke an officer’s eligibility if they commit serious misconduct or violate a person’s civil rights. Originally authored by Sen. Steve Bradford, D-Gardena, SB 2 was reintroduced with Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins as a co-author.

▪ Duty to intervene (AB 26). The “George Floyd Law” by Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, would require police officers to intercede when another officer is using excessive force.

▪ Expanding access to police records (SB 16). This bipartisan accountability proposal passed the Assembly but stalled in the Senate last year. Building on the landmark police records transparency bill, SB 1421, Berkeley state Sen. Nancy Skinner’s revived proposal would expand the type of records that are eligible for release and impose penalties against agencies that don’t comply.

▪ Standards for tear gas and rubber bullets (AB 48). The reintroduced proposal by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, would ban police from using dangerous projectiles and chemical weapons against peaceful protesters.

▪ Disclosing police settlements (AB 603). The transparency proposal by Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, would require city, county and state governments to annually post details about taxpayer dollars used to settle law enforcement lawsuits.

▪ Protecting journalists covering protests (SB 98). This bill by state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, would bolster protections for journalists covering demonstrations and prevent law enforcement from obstructing them. Newsom vetoed a previous version last fall, taking issue with how it defined journalists.

▪ Completing police investigations (AB 718). This new bill authored by Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, would ensure police misconduct or use-of-force investigations get completed — even if the officer resigns during the investigation. It would also require the investigators to share the results with an outside agency if the officer was hired by another law enforcement agency.

These proposals deserve support. They will create just policies and help protect citizens from police abuse.

If Californians want the state’s ruling Democratic Party to actually deliver this time, however, they must speak out and apply public pressure. Last year, at a time when most Americans expressed support for major police overhauls, some of California’s leaders feigned empathy in public but failed to act when it truly mattered.

For California to lead the way on police reform, its supporters must engage in the kind of organizing and campaigning that helped pass AB 392. In 2021, we’ll find out who California’s leaders really serve. Will it be the people or the law enforcement lobbyists?

That’s up to all of us.

This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Sacramento police killed Stephon Clark 3 years ago. California must pass these reforms."