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U.S. NEWS Friday 24 May 2019

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APNewsBreak: Police won't fight California use-of-force bill

By DON THOMPSON "With so many unneces- director for the American
Associated Press sary deaths, I think every- Civil Liberties Union of Cali-
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) one agrees that we need fornia, which proposed the
— Two major law enforce- to change how deadly bill and negotiated the
ment organizations have force is used in California," changes.
dropped their opposition said Democratic Assem- "By requiring that officers
to California legislation blywoman Shirley Weber use force only when nec-
that strengthens standards of San Diego, who wrote essary and examining their
for when officers can use the measure. "We can now conduct leading up to use
deadly force, a shift that move a policy forward that of force, the courts can still
followed changes to the will save lives and change consider whether officers
measure. the culture of policing in needlessly escalated a situ-
Spokesmen for organiza- California." ation or failed to use de-es-
tions representing Califor- Law enforcement officials calation tactics that could
nia police chiefs and rank- did not immediately ex- have avoided a shooting,"
and-file officers told The As- plain their decision. But a he said.
sociated Press on Thursday revised version of the bill Even with the changes, the
that they won't fight the filed Thursday drops an ex- ACLU considers the mea-
measure. It was prompted plicit definition of "neces- sure to have the strongest
by public outrage over fa- sary" that was in the origi- language of any in the U.S.
tal police shootings, includ- nal. The deleted language Democratic Gov. Gavin
ing the killing of unarmed said officers could open fire Newsom and Democratic
vandalism suspect Stephon when there is "no reason- leaders in the Legislature In this April 8, 2019 file photo, Malaki Seku Amen holds up an
Clark in Sacramento last able alternative." backed the revised version, American flag with the names of people shot and killed by law
enforcement officers, as he and others in rally in support of a bill
year. The amended measure also which is set for an Assembly that would restrict the use of deadly force by police, in Sacra-
The measure would bar po- makes clear that officers vote next week. Newsom mento, Calif.
lice from using lethal force are not required to retreat called it "an important bill, Associated Press
unless it is "necessary" to de- or back down in the face one that will help restore
fend against an imminent of a suspect's resistance community trust in our crim- removed their opposition can use lethal force and
threat of death or serious and officers don't lose their inal justice system." and moved to neutral posi- requiring that every officer
bodily injury to officers or right to self-defense if they Law enforcement oppo- tions. The groups were the be trained in ways to avoid
bystanders. use "objectively reasonable nents blocked passage of a key law enforcement ne- opening fire.
That's a change from the force." similar measure introduced gotiators with Weber's of- The proposed changes
current standard, which Amendments also strip out last year after police killed fice and the ACLU. have spawned emotional
lets officers kill if they have a specific requirement that Clark, an unarmed black Law enforcement organi- testimony both from those
"reasonable" fear they or officers try to de-escalate man, setting off intense zations are backing a re- who have lost loved ones in
others are in imminent dan- confrontations before us- protests. The Peace Offi- lated Senate measure that confrontations with police
ger. The threshold made ing deadly force but allow cers Research Association would set a national prece- and from officers who have
it rare for officers to be the courts to consider offi- of California, which repre- dent by creating statewide been involved in shootings
charged following a shoot- cers' actions leading up to sents rank-and-file officers, guidelines on when officers on the job.q
ing and rarer still for them to fatal shootings, said Peter and the California Police
be convicted. Bibring, police practices Chiefs Association both

Police: Mystery man pulling

emergency brakes on subways

NEW YORK (AP) — New several stops before en- They began in February,
York City police have been tering the car and pulling continued in March and
searching for a person who its emergency brake and increased in frequency in
has been intentionally pull- fleeing. April and May.
ing the emergency brakes It happened on a north- Police believe the brake
on subway cars for no le- bound 2 train at the 14th pulling prankster is using a
gitimate purpose. Street and Seventh avenue key to gain access to an
Police on Thursday re- station during the Tuesday unoccupied motorman
leased images and video evening rush hour. car, where he is able to
of a man they say rode Police say there have been engage the emergency
on the outside of a car for about 40 similar incidents. brake.q