Police Practices
Our laws give police extraordinary authority. Based on their judgments in the moment, police can stop members of the public, search them, use force on them and even kill them. When police abuse that authority, they can cause extraordinary harm.
The ACLU of Southern California has fought for decades against police abuse and for policing that is equitable, transparent and democratic. In the courts, in city halls, in the legislature, the ACLU SoCal has challenged excessive force, racial profiling, broken-windows policing and dragnet surveillance. We have fought for the public's right to know about police, from access to body camera footage and department's determinations about proven misconduct to the policies and safeguards governing surveillance technology.
The ACLU SoCal continues to work to ensure:
- Police must be transparent, accountable and responsive to the communities they serve. ACLU SoCal has worked to ensure the public has access to information about police misconduct and discipline.
- Police must treat all people fairly, regardless or race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or mental or physical disability.
- Police must use their authority consistent with the constitution and with community values and should respect the sanctity of all life.
- Police should focus on serious crime and should not address noncriminal issues such as people with mental illness, homelessness, immigration issues. Police should end ineffective "broken windows" policing and stop-and-frisk policies.
- Police must end dragnet surveillance of law abiding Californians.
Current Issues
Facts
- 6xBlack pedestrians are six times as likely as white pedestrians to be stopped by LAPD.
- 1officer in SoCal has been prosecuted for shooting a suspect since 2004, out of 2,000+ shootings.
- 3 millionlicense plates per week are read by Automatic License Plate Readers in L.A. County.
Campus Police Toolkit
March 29, 2017LAPD Body-Worn Cameras
September 21, 2015
Students Not Suspects
July 22, 2015
P.E.O.P.L.E v. Rackauckas
April 4, 2018Mitchell v. Jeffries
January 29, 2018Youth Justice Coalition v. City of Los Angeles
October 25, 2016
Katz v. Barstow
May 22, 2015ACLU SoCal v. Anaheim Police Department
March 10, 2015LA Police Protective League v. City of LA
March 13, 2013
The Latest

New Bill Limits When California Police Can Use Deadly Force
February 8, 2019Families of People Killed by Police Support AB 392, California Act...
February 6, 2019
Access to CA Police Records
December 11, 2018
The LAPD's Board of Rights Is The Most Important Body You May Have...
November 30, 2018ACLU Statement on New LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva
November 29, 2018