Bay Area PoliceWatch supports victims and survivors of police abuse and their families. We are one of the nation's only programs offering legal support and referrals for survivors of police abuse. We were recently re-certified by the California Bar Association.
Since 1995, Bay Area PoliceWatch has been working to protect the community from abusive cops and advocating for the creation of restorative policing practices. We do this with a combination of social and legal services, grassroots mobilizing and media activism.
My name is Kijani Obalaye Tafari, and I'm proud to introduce myself as the new director of Bay Area PoliceWatch. A relationship with you is important to this campaign, and I look forward to working with you to empower Bay Area citizens and create a community of justice and equality for all people.
Temistocles Ferreira, a community leader and hip hop artist, was assaulted and handcuffed by police in New Bedford in October of 2006. After being attacked, he was refused medical attention and a phone call, nor was he ever read his Miranda rights. Temistocles was then charged with the very crimes that the officers perpetrated against him. Now he is awaiting trial for five trumped up criminal charges from the police department that attacked him.
Last summer, the California Supreme Court handed down a disastrous decision, Copley Press v. County of San Diego, saying that the public no longer has a right to know about citizen complaints of police misconduct. According to the Court’s interpretation of California law, an officer found guilty of misconduct has a "right to privacy" that outweighs the public's right to know. No other category of public official is granted this protection.
PoliceWatch and other organizations have been working hard to change this. We’ve managed to propose legislation that will overturn the ruling. We need your help to get it passed and signed by the Governor.
When we started Bay Area PoliceWatch ten years ago, San Francisco police officers acted with virtual impunity, getting away with horrible acts of violence and abuse. We've made some progress since then, but overall both the City and the department have been unwilling to address the issue head on. As two new reports from the San Francisco Chronicle show, that hesitance has fostered a culture of racism and violence within the department.
Download a range of resources for victims of police brutality. How to file a claim; claim forms; contact information for regional police commissions — it's all here, free for download.
Spring 2006, San Francisco police officers killed an unarmed black man named Asa Sullivan. So far, we have more questions than answers about this tragedy and how it happened. The San Francisco Police Department has refused calls from the community for a full and fair investigation. Join this important effort for police accountability and justice.
Bay Area PoliceWatch
My name is Kijani Obalaye Tafari, and I'm proud to introduce myself as the new director of Bay Area PoliceWatch. A relationship with you is important to this campaign, and I look forward to working with you to empower Bay Area citizens and create a community of justice and equality for all people.
