Ending qualified immunity (QI) in California is closer than ever. Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield and Julia Yoo, all CTEQI leaders, discuss QI and police accountability in California.
Ben & Jerry, together with Julia contributed an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle. The op-ed highlights the lack of police accountability in California.
Cohen and Greenfield are co-founders and co-chairs of the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity. Along with being a coalition partner, Yoo is the president of the National Police Accountability Project.
Despite the state’s liberal reputation, the authors note, California’s courts have consistently shielded bad cops from facing consequences.
To address California’s lack of accountability, Cohen, Greenfield, and Yoo support Senate Bill 2. This bill was introduced by State Senator Steven Bradford. SB 2 aims to limit the qualified immunity defense for bad cops statewide. The bill would also strip badges for officers who break the law. In effect, SB 2 brings us a step closer to ending QI in California.
Another benefit to passing SB2: It would restore the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act. As the authors explain, this law would see to it that “officers may be held accountable in California civil courts for wrongful death.” Holding bad cops accountable and ending qualified immunity would be “a meaningful step toward curbing the ongoing epidemic of police violence.”
Read Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield, and Julia Yoo’s op-ed here.