News & Commentary
What Does Safety Mean to You?
Every year on the first Tuesday of August, the National Association of Neighborhood Watch sponsors a “National Night Out.” The tenor of these events usually reinforce the idea that neighborhood watch and police-community partnerships are the pathway to public safety.
By ACLU of Northern California
Why the Next Philando Castile Could Be a Sixth-Grader
Despite overwhelming proof that our system of law enforcement is inherently unequal, we’ve nevertheless let this racist institution into our most sacred public space—the schoolhouse.
From Louisiana to California Shootings, We Fight for Justice and Demand that #BlackLivesMatter
Last week brought us more tragic, maddening, horrific news of Black people and Latino people being shot to death by police officers inside and outside California.
Will Apple's New Patent Push Delete on Ability to Record Police?
Imagine: You pull out your phone to record police misconduct—suddenly, your camera just doesn’t work. Turns out, your phone’s camera has been disabled by an infrared emitter. Apple’s newly patented technology may make this possible. The technology places an infrared sensor in your phone that has the potential to be disabled remotely. While the technology is being promoted as a tool to prevent the filming of copyrighted material, we think it has the potential to undermine efforts to hold law enforcement accountable.
Cops in the Club: SFPD’s Racism and Bigotry Don’t Mix with SF Pride
The decision by SF Pride and the City of San Francisco to dramatically increase police presence at this year’s Pride festivities creates a dangerous situation for LGBT people of color, the exact communities the organizers are recognizing with their 2016 theme.
It’s Time for California to Legalize Marijuana
California voters will be asked to legalize marijuana in November – and we couldn’t be happier that our state might finally end this chapter of the failed war on drugs.
Who's the Most Powerful Elected Official Most Voters Have Never Heard Of?
Every four years, the U.S. explodes into a frenzy with coverage and commentary about the next President of the United States. You literally have to be hiding under a rock right now not to be bombarded with Clinton, Sanders, and Trump coverage.
Our Fears Confirmed: Proposed Lethal Injection Regulations Fraught with Deep and Troubling Flaws
In 2015, the CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehab. published proposed regulations for a new execution protocol. This triggered an important public comment period in accordance with CA law. The ACLU had previously submitted a Public Records Act request, in order to shed light on the proposed regulations and enhance the public's ability to comment meaningfully on them. After withholding records for months, the department was ordered to turn over more than 800 documents to the ACLU.
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