Police Officer who Killed Black Woman in 1998 Hired as San Joaquin Dep. Sheriff

One of four white police officers fired for his role in the 1998 shooting death of a 19-year-old black woman has been hired as a deputy sheriff in Northern California. Michael Alagna, a former Riverside officer who received medical retirement benefits after the Tyisha Miller shooting, began working two weeks ago in San Joaquin County, officials said. Alagna continued to collect half his Riverside pay tax-free. [more]

LAPD Beating--More Disciplinary Power for Bratton Urged

A group of community leaders called Monday for new disciplinary powers for Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton, saying he should have the final decision on officer misconduct, rather than a panel dominated by police officers.
"Should these boards, who are accountable to no one, be the decision-making body?" asked Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the National Alliance for Positive Action, referring to the Police Department's Board of Rights. [more]

• L.A. Lays the Groundwork for Another Riot [more]

Traffic stop suspect speaks about Louisville Police Beat Down

Twenty-five-year-old Marcus Galloway spent six months in jail on charges of assaulting of an officer. Based on a videotape captured by a police cruiser camera, those charges were thrown out. Now Galloway is sharing his story. Galloway was a passenger in a car pulled over by Louisville Metro police officers Russell Miller and Steve Cambron. "He didn't have the right to do what he done." [more] Pictured above: Marcus Galloway's father.

• Metro police to investigate videotaped clash at traffic stop [more]
• SEE video [here]

Puerto Rican Victims of NYC police violence demand justice

In Brooklyn one year ago, police brutally attacked a Puerto Rican family, the Acostas, during a Fourth of July barbecue in front of their building. The police were supposedly responding to a noise complaint. Eight family members were injured during this police assault. They included Marga rita Acosta, now 63 years old and her 12-year-old grandson, Darrell. [more]

Richmond Police incident inquiry ends

City police have completed their investigation of the May 30 incident in which an officer slammed a woman to the ground and angry bystanders were pepper-sprayed. Some blacks have accused the officers, who are white, of using excessive force and racial profiling. Police said at the time they were simply trying to protect themselves and the public. [more]

Police Cleared in FATAL Shooting of Latino Man

The Douglas County grand jury investigating the death of Jose Zermeño-Garcia returned no indictments against the Omaha police officers who shot and killed the Mexican national May 30. After deliberating for a few hours Thursday, the grand jury of nine men and seven women exonerated Officers Nathan Anderson and Christopher McElligott of any criminal wrongdoing. The grand jury, which meets in secret, declined to issue a report or make any recommendations. Both officers have returned to duty. [more]

LA Police Panel Rebuked by Key Member - Panel Doing Nothing

In an unusual self-critique, a prominent member of the Los Angeles Police Commission said the panel has done a poor job of dealing with the beating by police officers of a car-theft suspect and must take a more active role in the investigation to avoid being marginalized. Rick Caruso said the Police Commission has not been vigorous enough in overseeing the investigations into the June 23 incident and asserting itself as the city's civilian overseer and chief policymaker of the Los Angeles Police Department. [more]

Dallas Police Involved in Latino man's Death--7 officers now on restricted duty

Seven Dallas police officers were placed on restricted duty Thursday as the investigation continues into the death of Pedro Fernandez. Police officers responding to a domestic violence call June 28 were involved in a struggle with Fernandez as they tried to arrest him. A police report said that it took six to seven officers to subdue Fernandez, who weighed 320 pounds, and that Mace was used. Fernandez died on the way to a hospital. [more]

Remarks by LAPD Chief Bratton Still Reverberating

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton's apology July 3 for making remarks criticized as offensive to blacks did little to quell outrage directed at the Police Department at a town hall meeting held Saturday by an ad hoc citizens commission in Leimert Park. The discussion began with a video clip of a June 30 City Council meeting in which Councilman Bernard C. Parks asked Bratton to respond to claims that the chief had used words such as "tribal," "thugs" and "terrorists" to describe minorities. A spokeswoman for Bratton later said the chief was using the words only to describe gang members. [more]

One Year-ago Vietnamese woman, Bich Cau Thi Tran was killed by Police

Slaying spurs reforms
For local Vietnamese, July 13, 2003, is more than the date when Bich Cau Thi Tran died. It symbolizes the day they emerged as a power to be reckoned with at San Jose City Hall. That evening, a San Jose police officer fatally shot the 25-year-old mother of two as she waved a vegetable peeler that was mistaken for a cleaver. The tragedy united Vietnamese as never before, leading the community to exert a newfound political influence. A year later, San Jose's Vietnamese are more vocal about police conduct, and a pan-minority coalition has been created to seek reforms. [more]