San Diego is one of the most surveilled cities in the United States and the SDPD and other local law enforcement agencies have been known to take full advantage of this fact, taking advantage of an array of surveillance technologies. Some of the technologies used by law enforcement agencies around the county include partnerships with […]
How Red Flag Laws Work in California
In 2014, California passed a new law hoping to reduce the skyrocketing number of mass shootings nationwide. The original so-called “red flag law,” allowed concerned family members or law enforcement agents to request a judge to issue a restraining order that would allow the police or sheriff’s department to seize the firearms of a person […]
What Are California’s Laws About Ghost Gun Possession and Sales
Ghost guns are homemade firearms that are practically untraceable because they have no serial number. These are legal to sell and possess on a federal level because the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) defines “firearms” only as finished firearms, frames, and receivers, so those parts that are sold unfinished are not covered […]
SB 519 Would Make Possession of Most Psychedelics Legal in California
California legalized marijuana in 2016 and psychedelics could be next thanks to a new bill sponsored by San Francisco state senator Scott Weiner. The bill, SB 519, proposes to not only legalize the possession of a number of widely used psychedelics, but also expunge the criminal records for those who were previously convicted for possession […]
How Face Masks Could Cause More Bias in Jury Trials During the Pandemic
Between facial expressions and body language, it’s estimated that anywhere from 70 to 93% of communication is made in a non-verbal manner. So when you block half of a person’s face with a face mask, eliminating a viewer’s ability to see frowns, smiles, grimaces and more, you can strip away much of our ability to […]
Bank Error in Your Favor? Monopoly’s Rules Could Leave You Busted
Monopoly may have introduced most of us to the idea of a “bank error in your favor,” but while it accounts to a nice, unexpected windfall in the board game, in real life, using this money could leave you facing criminal charges. In fact, if you find unexpected money in your bank account, the best […]
What Happens if I’m Caught With An Unserialized, Stolen or Unregistered Firearm?
California has many laws limiting the types of weapons a person may own in the state, prohibiting guns such as assault-weapons and machine guns. But even a firearm that is otherwise legal can be illegal if it was unregistered, stolen or if the serial number was altered or removed. Fortunately, there are defenses against all […]
246 (PC) and 247b (PC): Shooting at a Dwelling, House or Vehicle
Shooting into a structure such as a home, car, motorhome or aircraft is unquestionably dangerous. In many cases, it’s impossible to tell if anyone is inside or not, which is precisely why you can face felony charges whether or not a dwelling was occupied. What specific charges you’ll face, as well as the penalties will […]
San Diego Law Enforcement Agencies Can Reduce Racial Biases -Here’s How
Racism has long been a problem in American society and racial biases have long been a problem within law enforcement agencies. Sadly, it took the death of George Floyd to inspire true reforms in America’s police forces. San Diego is no different from the rest of the country in this regard, but we have the […]
California’s Supreme Court Sets Restrictions on Cash Bail
For years, efforts have been underway to eliminate cash bail within California. While Prop 25 was voted down by the state’s voters, even many people who voted against the measure still opposed cash bail but disliked the specifics of the proposition. But as the public took a vote on the matter, the state Supreme Court […]
