A California law intended to improve police accountability by transferring fatal shooting investigations to the state attorney general has resulted in severe delays, with no investigations completed within the promised one-year timeframe. The average investigation takes nearly two years and five months, and 13 cases have exceeded three years, allowing officers to avoid decertification.
The case of David Couch, killed by a CHP officer in Redding, took 1,199 days to conclude with no charges filed. The backlog is attributed to underfunding, as the legislature provided only half of the requested $26 million for investigative teams.
Police chiefs and families express frustration, while Attorney General Bonta blames the legislature for insufficient resources.