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Police cars in Los Angeles in April 2011. California is among the states which have enacted new laws requiring state and local police agencies to collect and report stop and search information.

Policing

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Closing Argument
Four Suicides in L.A. and the Mental Health Problem in Law Enforcement
Four suspected suicides in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department highlight a problem affecting agencies across the country.
A close-up photo shows a Los Angeles County sheriff wearing a black mourning band over his badge.
An illustration shows one detective on the left reviewing evidence on their phone, while another detective interviews an injured victim.
Feature October 30
One City’s Surprising Tactic to Reduce Gun Violence: Solving More Nonfatal Shootings
A Denver police unit started investigating all shootings like homicides. Now other cities are taking notice.
By Ted Alcorn
Three SWAT team members, wearing helmets, green uniforms and protective gear with the label "SHERIFF" on their backs, hold assault rifles while standing on a staircase.
Closing Argument October 28
They Shot at Police. Were They Standing Their Ground?
No-knock raids often end in tragedy — and some civilians face prosecution for shooting back.
By Maurice Chammah
Feature September 28
How Wealth and Privilege Helped One Man Hide His Serial Abuse
Life seemed golden for Leon Jacob. Then he hired a hit man to kill his ex-girlfriend. His classmate exposes how the system repeatedly failed to stop him.
By Stephanie Clifford
A Black man, wearing a black headband, black graphic T-shirt and black and white jeans, sits in the driver’s seat of a red car with the door opened. His young daughter plays inside the car in the background.
Feature September 12
What Federal Judges’ Rulings Reveal About the Memphis Police Tactics
Five judges in recent years have found that officers violated residents’ constitutional rights during traffic and pedestrian stops.
By Daphne Duret and Marc Perrusquia
The hand of a Black person holds a fan of an image of a Black woman wearing a black and white plaid dress. The fan reads: "In loving memory of Ta'Kiya Monet Yvette Young. August 1, 2002 - August 24, 2023."
Closing Argument September 9
When Police Kill and Use Victims’ Rights Laws to Stay Anonymous
The shooting of an Ohio pregnant woman is the latest case of police using Marsy’s Law to shield officers.
By Jamiles Lartey
A billboard display reads "118 degrees, 5:13pm, Clear Channel Outdoor." A person walking through a parking lot is out of focus in the foreground.
Closing Argument August 26
Cruel Summer: When Basic Survival Can Become Illegal
Extreme heat heightens the tensions between homeless communities and the police.
By Geoff Hing
Several protesters hold a banner that reads "Stop Cop City," as they stand in front of a church. One protester in the background holds a sign that reads, "Defund the police. Invest in Black communities."
Closing Argument June 24
What the Fight Over Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Reveals About Policing of Protests
Opponents of the proposed police training facility have launched a petition for a vote — and some face charges as domestic terrorists.
By Jamiles Lartey
A photo shows the back of a police officer, with the words "Paterson Police" on their uniform.
Closing Argument June 3
Three Years After George Floyd’s Murder, Police Reforms Are Slow-Paced
There have been mostly modest changes following protests that galvanized the country in 2020.
By Jamiles Lartey
A person with light skin tone, wearing a white uniform with a Chicago flag on their shoulder, looks at gunshot detection programs on two computer screens.
Closing Argument May 27
How Tech Like ShotSpotter Thrives Despite Public Pushback
Police around the country have invested in the gunshot-detection system using Covid relief dollars.
By Geoff Hing
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