In a recent article published in the Daily Journal, LCW Los Angeles Office Managing Partner Melanie L. Chaney and Partner Paul D. Knothe examine the impact of California’s Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) on law enforcement. Enacted in September 2021, SB 2 established a process for decertifying peace officers, addressing a gap that previously allowed misconduct to go unchecked. Chaney and Knothe detail the new procedures for mandatory and discretionary decertification, which have ended approximately 150 officers’ careers. They also outline the requirement for law enforcement agencies to report serious misconduct to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
Despite some criticisms regarding transparency and unintended consequences, such as retaliatory accusations, SB 2 aligns California with other states in holding peace officers to professional standards similar to those of doctors and lawyers. Chaney and Knothe emphasize the necessity for law enforcement agencies to adapt swiftly to these new regulations to ensure accountability and maintain public trust.
To access the full article, please click the following link: https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/379327-before-sb-2-california-lacked-a-process-for-decertifying-peace-officers-allowing-misconduct-to-go-unchecked