More in Policing
Calls to Defund Violence Interruption in D.C. Are Misguided
Violence interrupters work. But D.C.’s police union is trying to capitalize on a scandal to eliminate them.
After DOJ Investigation, Phoenix Residents Say City is Faking Police-Reform Efforts
Phoenix’s police chief called the findings of a damning DOJ report “accusations.” City leaders continue to reject federal oversight. They voted to give the police more money instead.
D.C. Can’t Dismiss Lawsuit Over Police Response to Mental Health Crises
Attorneys say the district’s practice of sending armed police officers to mental health emergencies violates the Americans With Disabilities Act.
How Deep is the Scandal at Maryland’s Medical Examiner Office?
The state launched an investigation after the former chief medical examiner’s biased testimony in the George Floyd murder trial. Now, an Appeal analysis finds major flaws in the probe’s design.
A Chicago Cop Killed Someone in a Car Accident. They Blamed a 20-Year-Old Instead.
A college student was convicted of murder for a death he did not cause. Reforms to the controversial law that landed him in prison have not led to his freedom.
Texas State Police Gear Up for Massive Expansion of Surveillance Tech
The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to spend millions in taxpayer dollars on a controversial software, used first as part of Governor Abbott’s border crackdown, to “disrupt potential domestic terrorism.”
New Hope for Phoenix Trio Imprisoned for Murder After Police Killed Their Friend
After The Appeal published an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department’s killing of 19-year-old Jacob Harris, a community coalition sprung up to help Harris’s three young friends, who are incarcerated for his death. Now, a court has granted the trio a chance to get out of prison.
Some Cities Are Ditching ShotSpotter, But Police Tech Firms Are Just Getting Started
The city of Chicago is cutting ties with the gunshot detection firm ShotSpotter. But the product’s parent company—and competitors—now offer so many interlocking services that it’s nearly impossible for departments to cut the cord.
DOJ Demands Phoenix Police Change. Victims Say More Is Needed.
In June, the DOJ said the Phoenix Police Department routinely commits egregious civil rights violations. Community members are demanding change—and the release of three Phoenix youths imprisoned for a murder committed by a police officer.
Tasers Can Kill. When They Don’t, They Can Still Do Lasting Damage.
A MindSite News-Medill investigation documents wide use of tasers in response to 911 mental health calls.
We Tracked 3,200 Pro-Palestinian Campus Arrests. Here’s How Prosecutors Are Responding.
The Appeal contacted more than 120 prosecutors and city attorneys to ask if they’ll file criminal cases against campus demonstrators. So far, only four expressed apprehension at doing so.
Police Warned of ‘Violent Extremism’ From Pro-Palestinian Protesters Before Campus Raid
Documents obtained by The Appeal show law enforcement warning of a “strong possibility” of anti-police violence by student protesters at Cal Poly Humboldt ahead of a sweep that led to mass arrests.
Phoenix Police Wantonly Use Violence and Violate Civil Rights, DOJ Finds
The DOJ said the Phoenix Police Department engages in a stunningly long list of civil rights violations, including using excessive force, discriminating against people of color, hurting children, and harassing the unhoused.
His Name is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice
George Floyd’s ancestors were born into slavery. Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa powerfully document Floyd’s life and lineage.
Police Blame Accountability for Low Recruitment. But It’s Their Only Hope.
Studies show “negative public perceptions” of police contribute to low recruitment. Stripping away police oversight will only lead to more bad press for cops.
Police Corruption Scandal Shakes Up Small-Town Massachusetts
When residents of Leyden, Massachusetts, started investigating their former police chief, they didn’t know it would end with criminal charges—and a successful push to reform the town’s government.
Despite Reforms, Louisiana Still Keeps Some Police Data Secret
Lawmakers tried and failed to track “wandering officers.” But state regulators also refuse to release data that would help journalists and the public do so.
Phoenix Police Victims Want City to Stop Interfering With Federal Probe
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the Phoenix Police Department for potential civil rights violations. During last week’s city council meeting, residents said city officials must stop fighting the inquiry.
Forty-Six States Paid for Violent, Racist Police Training. We Should Ban Pretextual Stops Instead.
A recent report by the New Jersey Comptroller’s office found that a company called Street Cop trained police to shoot indiscriminately at people, medically experiment on the injured, and treat virtually anyone who isn’t a white, straight, cisgender male with open disdain. More training like this won’t make America safer.
What’s Really Going on in the NYC Subway?
New York officials have flooded the subway system with cops and military personnel in a show of “security theater.” Will it actually make people safer—and is that even the point?
U.S. Police Dogs Originated from Slavery—and Must Be Abolished
The Thirteenth Amendment bans all “badges and incidents” of slavery. But the use of police dogs enacts cruelty on both people of color and the dogs themselves. To fully rid society of slavery, the dogs must be retired.
Illinois City Hired Police Chief Despite Misconduct Allegations
In 2022, Timothy Tyler was chosen to lead the Champaign Police Department — despite a string of misconduct allegations from his first policing job in the south Chicago suburb of Markham through his time at the Illinois State Police.
In Chicago, ShotSpotter Failed to Detect Hundreds of Shootings
The department reported misses more than 550 times in 2023, and a public safety director complained about a 55-round miss in 2022.
Non-Police Crisis Response Programs Have Been Working. Here’s How.
After decades of protests over police violence, many cities have created non-police crisis response teams. These unarmed first responders typically answer 911 calls for people having mental health crises. Here’s how they work.
One of Utah’s Best-Known Police Chiefs Has Spent Decades Defending Police Misconduct
Chief Ken Wallentine has repeatedly defended police behavior that judges later found violated the constitution or resulted in millions of dollars in settlements and judgments.
Police in Arizona Arrest Reporter Covering Pro-Palestine Protest
Alisa Reznick’s arrest marks the second time police within the United States have detained a reporter at a pro-Palestine protest in recent months.
How Chicago’s Electronic Monitoring Programs Fail Women and Domestic Violence Survivors
Advocates say the Cook County Sheriff’s Department’s house-arrest policies trap women in unsafe situations—and often force mothers to choose between their safety or their children.
Prosecutors Smearing Dead ‘Cop City’ Activist by Publicizing Their Diary, Organizers Say
Georgia police killed Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán on Jan. 18 as Terán was protesting against Cop City, the massive police training facility under construction in Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta. But, now that prosecutors have mass-charged activists in an unprecedented use of racketeering statutes, those close to the case say the state has sunk to new lows by entering Terán’s personal diary into public evidence against defendants.
Could Gun Regulations Reduce Police Shootings?
A study found that in states requiring permits to purchase firearms, fatal and nonfatal police shootings were 28 percent lower.
DC Ceasefire Protesters Say Police Launched Unprovoked Attack on Peaceful Event
“There was never a plan to peacefully disperse us,” one protest attendee told The Appeal. “The only plan was to escalate and to treat us with brutal violence.”
Four LAPD Officers Pulled Guns on Unhoused Men in Van Nuys
Fifteen members of the Los Angeles Police Department showed up to detain two Black men having an argument. The violent incident is the latest escalation against the community of unhoused people on Aetna Street in Van Nuys.
FBI Crime Data for 2022 Is Out. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Lies, damned lies, and crime statistics.
As Protests Grow, Judges Mull Reopening Phoenix Police Shooting Lawsuit
Phoenix Police Department Officer Kristopher Bertz shot and killed 19-year-old Jacob Harris in 2019. Now, community members are rallying as Harris’s father Roland appeals a wrongful death lawsuit.
L.A. Street Vendor Advocate Arrest Spotlights Concerns Over Free Speech, Police Retaliation
Police raided Ryan Cortez’s home after he participated in a protest against police harassment. On Oct. 6, a jury acquitted Cortez, but concerns over free speech remain.
Illinois Police Department Under Fire for ‘Culture’ of Neglecting Domestic Violence Reporting Laws
An internal review by the Champaign Police Department found a “systematic” pattern of noncompliance with state law.
Criminalizing Abortion Makes Cases Like Nebraska Teen’s More Common, Experts Warn
A judge sentenced 17-year-old Celeste Burgess to 90 days in jail after she ended her pregnancy at 29 weeks. Further criminalization of abortion and dwindling reproductive healthcare options will only make cases like these more common, experts say.
Ex-Phoenix Cop’s Misconduct Hangs Over Jacob Harris Case
Jacob Harris’s father is heading to appeals court on Wednesday. Federal judges will decide the fate of his wrongful death suit against the city of Phoenix.
Cop City Protesters Hit With RICO Charges in Latest Act of Political Repression
Organizers with the movement say the charges are meant to “send the chilling message that any dissent to Cop City will be punished with the full power and violence of the government.”
Los Angeles Commits Another $1 Billion to LAPD Despite Falling Violent Crime
Police say they need pay raises to help with hiring and retention. But crime has been falling in LA, even as the department reports having its lowest number of officers in decades.