Other Voices: Broken Justice

BROKEN JUSTICE
Rethinking Our Cops and Courts

A conversation with LaDoris Cordell,
Superior Court Judge, Retired
Independent Police Auditor for San Jose, Retired

Following numerous high-profile cases of police killings of unarmed African American and Latino civilians, public confidence in law enforcement is clearly in crisis. California is not immune. Suggestions have been made — and rather widely supported — to require police to wear body cameras. But is that a sufficient response to deeply endemic problems? What else can be done?

At this month’s Other Voices forum, we’ll examine some other ideas.

At the urging of San Jose’s Independent Police Auditor, Judge LaDoris Cordell, the department there started collecting basic demographic data about every police stop made, regardless of whether an arrest was made or not. An initial analysis of the data shows results that, while perhaps not surprising, are nevertheless alarming. Although black and Latino residents are a third of San Jose’s population, they comprise almost two-thirds of the individuals stopped in 2014.

Judge Cordell and legislators in Sacramento are urging all police departments in the state to compile data in the way San Jose has started doing. A bill recently introduced in the legislature would require them to do so.

Join us for this timely conversation with someone who has a true inside perspective and expertise on the urgent need for police and court reforms. Come prepared to join the conversation with your questions and suggestions.

Free and open to all. Wheelchair accessible.