In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota at police hands, California stepped up with a plan: Put the state in charge of investigating police shootings of unarmed people. So far, the state’s Justice Department is struggling to keep up, with only two cases closed since 2021. This conversation will consider the challenges of investigating police shootings and why so few cases have been closed since the law took effect. Is the issue a lack of resources? Or are there other challenges inherent to these investigations? This conversation features Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, Chief Executive Officer of the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) Greg Totten, and Deputy Sheriff and Policy Advisor for the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office Ed Obayashi. This panel discussion took place on Tuesday, June 13th, at the CalMatters Studio.
