(CBM) – Rev. Al Sharpton civil rights leader, and leadership of his organization National Action Network, Western Region President Rev. K.W. Tullos and President, Rev. Shane Harris, San Diego chapter took to the State Capitol today to urge Assemblymember Lorena Gonzales-Fletcher (D-San Diego) head of the Assembly Appropriations and her colleagues to support and pass out of committee AB 284 authored by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento).
The bill requires the Department of Justice to create an independent review unit which will be known as the Statewide Officer-Involved Shootings Investigation Team to investigate officer-involved shootings.
According to Sharpton, his representatives and the author of the bill “For far too long there has been distrust surrounding police shooting and the decisions by local D.A.’s that work in close cooperation with police officers.”
The bill has some opposition mainly law enforcement organizations:
- California State Sheriffs’ Association
- California Statewide Law Enforcement Association
- Fraternal Order of Police
- Long Beach Police Officers Association
- Peace Officers Research Association of California
- Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
Upon request of a local law enforcement agency or district attorney, the Team will investigate, gather facts and provide a recommendation to the entity requesting the review.
According to a Sacramento Bee story published July 2016, police officers killed someone, on average, about once every three days during the last decade. About four police officers, on average, were killed in homicides on the job each year over the same period.
In a press conference held outside of the state house, Sharpton said, ” It is the height of an irony to me, that California has the image of progressivism, but not up to par with other states like New York, like Wisconsin, like other states who’ve already moved towards (independent) prosecutors.”
The bill will be up for a full committee vote this Friday, May 26, 2017.
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CBM Staff Report